Not just H2O in those clouds

Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The Swiss government is committed to cuts in greenhouse gas emissions of 20 percent compared to 1990, and a  proposed new law sent to Parliament 28 August outlines how it wants to achieve that goal.

The measures proposed are to:

• keep the current tax of CHF36 per tonne of CO2 on heating fuels
• budget at least CHF 200 million towards reducing heat loss in buildings through improvements in roofs and windows
• oblige importers and producers of fuels to off-set at least one-quarter the CO2 produced in the country,
• and to improve and extend the country’s existing carbon emission trading system (ETS) with a view to integrating it with the European ETS.

The government may introduce a carbon tax at the petrol pump if necessary, and will introduce a compulsory carbon emissions rating for all new cars.

Copenhagen conference may force modifications

The proposal admits that negotiations in the upcoming UN climate conference in Copenhagen, Denmark in December may commit participating industrialized countries to even tougher reductions, so the government may have to cut emissions by 30 percent by the year 2020, over the 1990 level, if necessary. Should the binding decisions taken by the climate conference participants require that the proposed law be amended, the government will modify its proposal.

“Indirect” counter-proposal to popular initiative

The government’s proposed measures are an “indirect” response to a “popular initiative for a healthy climate” which proposed a more forceful reduction of “at least” 30 percent by 2020 over 1990 levels. The intitiative organizers rejected the government’s proposed legislation hours after it was made public and insist that voters must choose the tougher cuts in greenhouse gases that the initiative proposes and which are based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommendations.

The new legislation must first pass parliament before it can signed into law. The current law on CO2 expires in 2012.

Swiss government press release (Fre)

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