Swiss biodiversity budget cuts ‘break promises’

The government now says cantons must bear a higher cost burden of protecting nature Keystone / Gaetan Bally

Environmental groups have sharply criticised Swiss government plans to cut funding for biodiversity. NGOs say the government is breaking previous promises.

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The Federal Council has put together a savings package comprising around 60 different measures. One of the measures concerns contributions for regional biodiversity and landscape quality in agriculture.

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The government initially said it would cover 90% 0f the estimated CHF280 million annual costs, with cantons contributing 10%.

The savings plans now stipulate that the federal government will only contribute 50% of the contributions starting in 2028, with cantons paying more.

The austerity package report states that a federal contribution of 90% to regional biodiversity and landscape quality is “exceedingly high.” Cantons are expected to bear a larger share of the subsidies.

+ Switzerland outlines budget plan to save billions of francs

This will save the federal authorities CHF124 million annually from 2028. Because the savings target states only CHF65 million is meant to be saved in this area, the surplus CHF59 million should be shifted to direct agriculture payments.

With this measure, the Federal Council is breaking a voting promise made as part of the 2024 Biodiversity Initiative, the Environmental Alliance states. The NGO group includes various environmental organisations, such as Greenpeace, Pro Natura, WWF, and Bird Life.

Daniela Pauli, Head of the Habitats and Protected Areas Department at Bird Life Switzerland, said: “The Federal Council even promised in the voting booklet to spend CHF600 million per year on biodiversity and said that it would stick to this contribution because there was still a need for action.”

This contribution will now be reduced by around CHF70 million per year under the austerity plans. “This is a massive cut in the area of ​​biodiversity.”

Translated from German by DeepL/mga

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