Leuthard debates energy issues with US
Swiss Environment Minister Doris Leuthard has met United States energy and environment representatives on an official visit to Washington.
She said she was hoping for “institutionalised cooperation” concerning energy, pointing out that when it came to energy-saving houses, the US could learn a lot from Switzerland.
Other issues discussed included how energy consumption could be stabilised and how Switzerland had managed to agree nationwide regulations for energy-efficient buildings even though construction was largely a cantonal matter.
Leuthard also criticised the US – not only for using natural gas to guarantee energy security instead of using more environmentally friendly solutions – but also for its policy on the climate, highlighting the US’s refusal to sign a binding, international treaty.
On Tuesday Leuthard travels to Boston and is set to deliver a speech on energy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
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