Zurich’s Night-time Peace initiative to be withdrawn

Zurich’s ‘Night-time Peace’ initiative is to be withdrawn Keystone-SDA

The Zurich "Night-time Peace" initiative, which calls for greater protection against aircraft noise, is being withdrawn. However, there is disagreement within the initiative committee over this decision. The citizens’ organisation called Fluglärmsolidarität (aircraft noise solidarity) has strongly criticised the decision and distanced itself from it.

The three representatives from the Fair in Air association had outvoted the two members of Fluglärmsolidarität on the initiative committee, the organisation announced late on Wednesday evening. It regards the withdrawal of the initiative in favour of the counter-proposal as a “failure”.

Fair in Air had already indicated in March that it would withdraw the initiative if the Zurich Cantonal Council adopted the counter-proposal and no referendum was called against it. The organisation had described the counter-proposal as a “viable compromise” that addressed the initiative’s key concerns.

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Fluglärmsolidarität disagrees with this assessment. It argues that the counter-proposal does not provide a serious solution to the problem of night-time aircraft noise. The organisation also criticises the fact that, as a result of the withdrawal, the public will not be able to vote on the initiative.

The initiative, launched in 2023, called for a seven-hour night-time quiet period at Zurich Airport and set out exceptions for night-time flights. The counter-proposal provides, among other things, for progressive charges for flights between 11:00 pm and 11:30 pm, as well as an annual debate in the cantonal council on trends in aircraft noise pollution.

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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.