Swiss parliament rejects initiative on ‘environmental responsibility’
Campaigners handing in signatures in Bern for the environmental initiative, February 2023.
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Listening: Swiss parliament rejects initiative on ‘environmental responsibility’
Parliamentarians in both chambers have said “no” to a people’s initiative proposed by the youth section of the Green Party, arguing that it would hurt Swiss prosperity.
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Initiative sur la responsabilité environnementale: non du Parlement
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The initiative demands that the Swiss economy, including imports, be adapted to respect the planet’s natural limits within ten years. If accepted, Switzerland would be obliged to drastically reduce the environmental damage caused by domestic consumption.
Changes would apply in particular to issues of climate change, loss of biodiversity, water consumption, land use and nitrogen and phosphorus usage.
Speaking on behalf of a parliamentary committee that had chosen to reject the initiative, Thierry Burkart from the right-wing Radical-Liberals said the ten-year deadline would have too great an economic and societal impact.
Left-wing parties defended the text and demanded – in vain – that parliament present a counter-proposal that would not contain a binding implementation deadline.
Adapted from French by DeepL/dos
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