Swiss climate experts propose personal CO2 budget

Switzerland as an Alpine country is particularly affected by climate change: temperatures rise twice as much as the worldwide average. © Keystone / Gaetan Bally

Swiss climate experts propose the introduction of an individual CO2 budget so Switzerland can reach its goal of “net zero greenhouse gas emissions” by 2050.

The radical proposal for Swiss climate policy was presented in the Sunday weekly newspapers Le Matin Dimanche and NZZ am Sonntag.

The central premise is that all goods would have two prices – one in Swiss francs and the other in CO2 emissions. This would factor the amount of CO2 released in everything from sausage making to short-haul flights.

Anyone who uses up their state-allocated credit too early would have to buy new emission rights.

This strategy would allow Switzerland to meet its climate goals in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement despite a “No” vote in a referendum on the government’s CO2 law in June, according to the climate experts.

The proposal was written by the Advisory Body on Climate Change on behalf of the Swiss government. Its members include climate researcher Thomas Stocker.

The paper is the final contribution by this Swiss expert body as Environment Minister Simonetta Sommaruga is allowing its mandate to expire.

On June 13, Swiss voters rejected an amendment on the Federal Act on the Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions – a core component of the national strategy to fight climate change and abide by the Paris Agreement.

Switzerland this year again failed to meet its goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, prompting a rise in CO2 taxes.