- The man turning mud into eco-friendly 'concrete', BBC News (May 28, 2022)
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located at the confluence of Western, Central and Southern Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east.
Climate action[edit | edit source]
The country pledged to cut GHG emissions by 50% by the year 2030 compared to the level of 1990 and works on a plan to reach zero emissions by 2050. W
2000-watt society[edit | edit source]
The 2000-watt society is an environmental vision, first introduced in 1998 by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETH Zurich), which pictures the average First World citizen reducing their overall average primary energy usage rate to no more than 2,000 watts (i.e. 2 kWh per hour or 48 kWh per day) by the year 2050, without lowering their standard of living.
The concept addresses not only personal or household energy use, but the total for the whole society, including embodied energy, divided by the population.
Two thousand watts is approximately the current world average rate of total primary energy use. This compared, in 2008, to averages of around 6,000 watts in western Europe, 12,000 watts in the United States, 1,500 watts in China, 1,000 watts in India, 500 watts in South Africa and only 300 watts in Bangladesh. Switzerland itself, then using an average of around 5,000 watts, was last a 2000-watt society in the 1960s.
It is further envisaged that the use of carbon-based fuels would be ultimately cut to no more than 500 watts per person within 50 to 100 years.
The vision was developed in response to concerns about climate change, energy security, and the future availability of energy supplies. It is supported by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, the Association of Swiss Architects and Engineers, and other bodies.
Open spaces[edit | edit source]
The Swiss National Park (Romansh: Parc Naziunal Svizzer; German: Schweizerischer Nationalpark; Italian: Parco Nazionale Svizzero; French: Parc National Suisse) is located in the Western Rhaetian Alps, in eastern Switzerland. It is within the canton of Graubünden, between Zernez, S-chanf, Scuol, and the Fuorn Pass in the Engadin valley on the border with Italy.
It is part of the worldwide UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Trees, woodland and forest[edit | edit source]
Switzerland contains two terrestrial ecoregions: Western European broadleaf forests and Alps conifer and mixed forests. Switzerland had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 3.53/10, ranking it 150th globally out of 172 countries. W
Community energy[edit | edit source]
Wikipedia: Renewable energy in Switzerland, Switzerland, Carbon dioxide emissions
Community currencies activism[edit | edit source]
Le Léman, une monnaie locale complémentaire émanant de la société civile
Cycling activism[edit | edit source]
Critical Mass bicycle rides in Switzerland - SwitzerlandMobility, Cycling in Switzerland, with interactive maps for bikers and other information about the national biking network
Food activism[edit | edit source]
Bio Suisse, federation of Swiss organic farmers (private-sector organization) - Incroyables Comestibles Meyrin on facebook
Reduce, reuse, repair and recycle[edit | edit source]
ricardo.ch Schweizerisch Version von Ebay - www.swissrecycling.ch - Entsorgung von elektrischen und elektronischen Geräten - Brockenhäusern im Kanton Zürich
Sharing[edit | edit source]
Pumpipumpe, a sharing community
Urban sustainability[edit | edit source]
Happy City Lab, designs and markets participatory and interactive installations that transform daily events
Resources[edit | edit source]
Networks and sustainability initiatives[edit | edit source]
- meyrin durable on facebook
Maps[edit | edit source]
- Map of Switzerland with route planner, map.search.ch
Other resources[edit | edit source]
- Switzerland and the Environment, information from swissworld.org - Switzerland's official information portal
News and comment[edit | edit source]
2017
Compost, community and cash: tasting the new economy in Geneva, Mar 27[1]
2016
A plan to save Swiss ski resorts from sprawl, Dec 14[2]
Swiss Grannies launch legal challenge to demand stronger climate action, Oct 25[3]
ABB Flash-Charging Electric Bus Route To Open In Geneva, Switzerland, Jul 26[4]
The Results of the Basic Income Referendum in Switzerland, Jun 5[5]
2014
Switzerland's Pumpipumpe Helps Neighbors Share Stuff Using Stickers, May 19[6]
2013
Switzerland May Give Every Citizen $2,600 a Month, November 13 (includes update)[7]
2007
WWF Switzerland announce plans to create eco-communities in Geneva,[8] August 27
Environmental challenges[edit | edit source]
Switzerland's ecosystems can be particularly fragile, because the many delicate valleys separated by high mountains often form unique ecologies. The mountainous regions themselves are also vulnerable, with a rich range of plants not found at other altitudes, and experience some pressure from visitors and grazing. The climatic, geological and topographical conditions of the alpine region make for a very fragile ecosystem that is particularly sensitive to climate change. Nevertheless, according to the 2014 Environmental Performance Index, Switzerland ranks first among 132 nations in safeguarding the environment, due to its high scores on environmental public health, its heavy reliance on renewable sources of energy (hydropower and geothermal energy), and its control of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2020 it was ranked third out of 180 countries. W
Biocapacity deficit[edit | edit source]
Access to biocapacity in Switzerland is far lower than world average. In 2016, Switzerland had 1.0 global hectares of biocapacity per person within its territory, 40 percent less than world average of 1.6 global hectares per person. In contrast, in 2016, they used 4.6 global hectares of biocapacity – their ecological footprint of consumption. This means they used about 4.6 times as much biocapacity as Switzerland contains. The remainder comes from imports and overusing the global commons (such as the atmosphere through greenhouse gas emissions). As a result, Switzerland is running a biocapacity deficit. W
See also[edit | edit source]
External links[edit | edit source]
- Wikipedia: Switzerland, Switzerland, Environment
- Geneva Environment Network, network of international organizations
- Swiss Statistics at the Swiss Federal Statistical Office