Swiss climate official defends ‘robust’ national objectives
Switzerland’s top negotiator at the COP27 talks, Franz Perrez, has been defending the Alpine country’s climate policy. Unlike other countries, Switzerland “implements decisions taken”, he told the Le Temps newspaper.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/Le Temps/sb
Português
pt
Autoridade suíça do clima defende objetivos nacionais “robustos”
“Our objectives are robust,” declared Perrez, who is leading the Swiss delegation at the COP27 United Nations climate conference in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, taking place from November 6-18.
Answering criticism in a recent New York TimesarticleExternal link that Switzerland’s emissions targets are insufficiently ambitious, Perrez toldExternal linkLe Temps on Thursday that “unfortunately this is the case for most countries”.
Climate delegates and government officials in Sharm el-Sheikh are discussing the implementation of the Paris Agreement, to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees by 2030, and how to meet emission reduction targets.
Switzerland wants to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Under the terms of the Paris climate agreement, Switzerland has pledged to halve emissions by 2030. But the country narrowly missed its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 despite coronavirus lockdowns and an unusually warm winter.
More
More
COP27: A wake-up call
This content was published on
Only by phasing out fossil fuels can the planet avoid the worst, writes climate expert Sonia Seneviratne.
Finance is also centre stage at COP27. Officials in Egypt are discussing the rules of the finance mechanism that allows countries to achieve their climate goals by financing climate protection projects abroad.
“Concerning the objective of $100 billion per year to finance the ecological transition of the poorest countries, Switzerland has contributed fairly,” said Perrez, adding that Switzerland was among the world’s leading contributors.
In the Le Temps interview Perrez responded to criticism in the New York Times that the wealthy Alpine country is relying on carbon-offsetting projects in poorer countries to help cut its CO2 emissions.
Perrez said the projects financed “do not replace the measures taken in Switzerland”. He added: “The commitment that we pursue abroad goes beyond our national efforts.”
The New York Times said Switzerland had signed carbon-offsetting agreements with eight countries — Peru, Ghana, Senegal, Georgia, Vanuatu, Dominica, Thailand and Ukraine — and was in talks with at least three more nations to implement projects.
More
More
COP27 and the climate crisis: will rich countries pay?
This content was published on
Emissions reductions, gas and financial aid to poor countries: here is everything you need to know about the UN climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Switzerland to introduce flight passenger database
This content was published on
Switzerland plans to introduce a flight passenger database to collect and process personal data in a bid to combat terrorism and serious crime.
Government plans to invest over CHF16bn in Swiss rail network
This content was published on
The federal government intends to invest CHF16.4 billion ($18.1 billion) in railway infrastructure between 2025 and 2028, CHF2 billion more than for the current period.
Swiss to vote on pension reform and biodiversity in September
This content was published on
Swiss citizens will vote on occupational pension schemes and a biodiversity initiative on September 22, the Federal Council announced on Wednesday.
Ukraine peace talks: 50 countries have confirmed participation
This content was published on
To date, 50 countries out 160 invited delegations have confirmed they will attend the Ukraine peace conference, held in central Switzerland in mid-June, according to Swiss public radio, RTS.
Federer-backed On boosts forecast after sneaker demand rises
This content was published on
Swiss footwear company On Holding AG posted strong first-quarter revenue, boosted by demand for its running shoes and new line of training apparel.
Michael Schumacher’s watches fetch CHF4 million at Swiss auction
This content was published on
Watches belonging to Formula 1 great Michael Schumacher sold for around CHF4 million ($4.41 million) at auction house Christie's in Geneva on Tuesday.
Macron will attend Swiss summit on Ukraine, says Zelensky
This content was published on
French President Emmanuel Macron will attend the peace conference on Ukraine at the Swiss Bürgenstock resort next month, according to Volodymyr Zelensky.
COP27 and the climate crisis: will rich countries pay?
This content was published on
Emissions reductions, gas and financial aid to poor countries: here is everything you need to know about the UN climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh.
This content was published on
The UN Climate Change Conference starts this Sunday. Evidence shows too little is done against climate change. What does this mean for our health?
COP27: Switzerland stresses need to maintain climate targets
This content was published on
At COP27 the Swiss president has stressed the need to maintain the 1.5°C target and the “special responsibility” of the large emitters.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.