Federal Council rejects immediate action on Swiss heat and drought
Wednesday 12th August 2026 on 20:00 in
Switzerland
Switzerland’s Federal Council sees no need for immediate additional measures despite record temperatures and weeks of dry weather, SRF reported. Environment Minister Albert Rösti said existing legal provisions were sufficient to address the situation.
Rösti said he was concerned by the record temperatures, particularly the length of the heatwave. The federal government is supporting municipalities and cantons, while his department is monitoring drought conditions and providing cantons with data. The army is flying water to alpine farms, and the government has removed import tariffs on hay for agriculture.
Rösti said there was no need to declare a special situation or coordinate measures across cantonal borders. He has also not activated the national drought crisis staff because the cantons have not requested it and there are no problems that require solutions spanning several cantons.
Some regions are experiencing water shortages, Rösti said, but he added that a nationwide coordination of water supplies was not necessary. He concluded that there was no urgency for additional measures.
However, Rösti did not rule out government intervention in the coming weeks. At the request of the full Federal Council, he is preparing possible measures, including steps related to energy supplies.
Record-low water levels on the Rhine are making it increasingly difficult to import petroleum products by ship. The Federal Council may need to release part of the mandatory reserves of petrol, kerosene or heating oil. Rösti said this was particularly relevant because it remained unclear how the situation in the Strait of Hormuz would develop. The federal government is assessing the situation daily.
Rösti also said his department was preparing strategy papers and would present around 60 measures to adapt to climate change this autumn. He cited air conditioning as an example, saying regulations should allow such systems to be installed because they had become much more efficient in recent years. The statement was an appeal to the cantons, which are responsible for building regulations.