The Environmental Responsibility Initiative from a scientific perspective

Background

The Environmental Responsibility Initiative calls for a transformation of the Swiss economy and consumption patterns in order to secure livelihoods for all. It focusses particularly on energy consumption, resources and pollutants. This requires a fundamental change, as Switzerland’s current consumption of environmental services and resources is equivalent to 2,5 times the global average available per capita (FSO 2024).

The initiative is undoubtedly right in that it views the environment as a system. There is no point in looking only at CO₂ emissions in the production sector. It is just as important to consider consumption activities and to include other environmental impacts in addition to CO₂, such as the loss of biodiversity, or nitrogen and phosphorus emissions. This is precisely what the concept of planetary boundaries and the Environmental Responsibility Initiative try to achieve.

A perspective on Switzerland’s current climate policy

In recent years, Switzerland has outsourced many of its energy-intensive activities abroad. Yet, it remains responsible for the environmental pollution caused by consuming those products. If we look at the evolution of CO₂ emissions per capita, for example, we can see that Switzerland has been able to cut back significantly in the production sector. However, this was cancelled out by higher consumption.

Compared to other countries, Switzerland’s consumption-based CO₂ emissions are very high, and in recent years little progress has been made in reducing them. This is especially true compared to other Western countries, where there is a clear trend in reducing such emissions. Even the United States, who has a high per capita consumption, has only slightly higher figures than our country.

Switzerland has clear climate targets: to halve its emissions by 2030 and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. Various measures are planned: a CO₂ levy, CO₂ regulations for vehicles, a technology fund and, especially now, carbon offsetting abroad. As part of the revised CO₂ Act, the Federal Council has plans to offset abroad approximately one third of the country’s CO₂ emissions.

Is Switzerland’s current climate policy akin to greenwashing?

Greenwashing is a communication method used by organisations or private individuals to present themselves as ‘greener’ than they actually are. According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, such nice-sounding promises on climate protection are particularly ‘reprehensible’ as they systematically undermine global efforts towards sustainable development.

Greenwashing is a matter of intention. It is a practice whereby companies purchase carbon offsets but make no real effort to reduce their in-house emissions. In other terms, greenwashing does not affect the companies’ core operations and their impact on CO₂ emissions. Such companies rely on outsourcing to reduce their emissions and publicise it effectively, thus preventing any serious debate on the development of a ‘green’ business model from the outset.

Recent regulations like the European Green Deal, which includes a set of measures proposed by the European Commission to promote a sustainable economy, make social and environmental standards relevant for companies. Companies that fail to comply with the requirements will face sanctions and will be forced out of the market.

What applies to individual companies also applies to the national economy. So far Switzerland has made little progress in reducing carbon emissions, focussing instead on outsourcing them. This hinders innovation, which is central to a green economic transformation. Furthermore, it threatens Switzerland’s sustainable development in the longer term and its prosperity.

Conclusion

The Federal Council and a large majority of Parliament reject the Environmental Responsibility Initiative, citing concerns over its impact on economic freedom and the potential disadvantages it might pose to competitiveness and prosperity.

While the initiative may appear radical, we currently lack the scientific evidence necessary to verify or falsify the proposed measures and deadlines. However, it is obvious that the current measures will not meet our environmental goals.

If we want to even come close to achieving them, we need to acknowledge the necessity of implementing a sustainable economic transformation. Anything else would be greenwashing, a practice deemed to endanger the environment and Switzerland’s competitiveness and prosperity.