Maurer said Switzerland was well placed because there is plenty of expertise and financial resources in the country.
“There are people with plenty of money, particularly institutional investors such as pension funds and foundations,” he told SRF public television on Tuesday.
“They want to invest in sustainable projects which are beneficial for the environment.”
Maurer was speaking ahead of his trip to Glasgow to attend the United Nations Climate Change conference (COP26).
He said Switzerland “probably has one of the most environmentally-friendly financial sectors in the world” although international standards to gauge this are yet to be clearly defined.
It is too early to legislate on sustainable investment as the financial sector was changing fast, he added.
Maurer also said there is always a risk of greenwashing – providing misleading information about environmentally-friendly products for investors.
However, “Switzerland is keen to offer quality and to avoid such risks. Our banks and financial service sector are serious about this,” he said.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
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The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
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The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
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In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
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As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
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After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
Swiss study: insects mainly migrate at midday and dusk
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A study led by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in canton Lucerne is helping to better understand the movement patterns of migratory insects.
Red Cross: 22 staff killed in Middle East since October
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The Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Gaza and Israel has lost 22 staff members since last October, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) said on Wednesday.
Dortmund’s Kobel is first Swiss goalie in Champions League final
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Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel has achieved history by becoming the first Swiss goalkeeper to reach a Champion’s League final.
University students in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave
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Pro-Palestinian activists occupied university buildings in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich on Tuesday, widening the protest movement in the Alpine nation.
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Making the Swiss financial sector deliver on climate promises
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“We see a Swiss financial industry that finances, at the moment, a climate warming of four to six degrees Celsius,” says WWF director Elgin Brunner.
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Switzerland will push for all countries to commit to limiting global warming to 1.5°C at the COP26 conference that starts on October 31.
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COP26 President Alok Sharma calls for more action to cap climate change at below 2°C and is counting on Switzerland to help find joint solutions.
Big Swiss companies obliged to report on climate risks from 2024
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The rules will apply to public and private companies with over 500 employees, over CHF20 million ($21.9 million) or CHF40 million in annual turnover, the government said on Wednesday. Two main areas will have to be reported: first, a company’s financial or investment risks linked to climate change, and second, the impact that the firm’s…
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While world leaders are discussing the climate at COP26, citizens in Swiss cities are trying to find pragmatic climate solutions at the local level.
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The climate crisis requires policies that transcend national boundaries and set aside short-term self-interest, says climate expert Jürg Staudenmann.
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