Heatwaves intensify debate over Switzerland’s climate cuts

Planned climate protection cuts of around 1.8 billion Swiss francs over three years have come under renewed scrutiny as heatwaves fuel calls for a rethink, SRF reports. Parliament has already reversed about half of the savings originally proposed under the Budget Relief Programme 27, which totalled around 3.5 billion francs.

Several cuts remain, said Patrick Hofstetter, head of climate and energy at WWF Switzerland, an environmental organisation. The government proposed spending significantly less on information and support while ending advisory services. Energy Switzerland, an energy-sector support programme, would receive 20 million francs less each year.

Hofstetter said information and education were particularly important in Switzerland because there were currently no parliamentary majorities for bans on fossil-fuel applications. He argued that people making investment decisions needed reliable information and expert advice. WWF is therefore calling on the federal government to abandon the climate-related savings.

The organisation also said climate protection could bring economic benefits. Between 2022 and 2024, Switzerland is estimated to have saved 15 billion francs by buying less heating oil, natural gas and petrol as the use of heat pumps and electric cars increased.

The left-green parties are expected to defend this position during the parliament’s upcoming budget debate, while the Swiss People’s Party is likely to oppose it. The political centre could therefore be decisive.

Benjamin Mühlemann, co-president of the FDP and a member of the Council of States Finance Committee, said the cuts did not target climate protection itself but inefficient instruments. He argued that some of the affected support programmes had significant windfall effects and that the key measure was the climate impact achieved with taxpayers’ money, not the amount distributed by the federal government.

Yvonne Bürgin, parliamentary group leader of the Centre Party and a member of the National Council’s Finance Committee, said funding the old-age pension system and the army remained a major challenge. Although revenues were developing better, she said, money was not available in excess. The Centre would support climate measures where necessary.

Both politicians said Switzerland must maintain its climate targets. Bürgin cautioned against overreacting, while Mühlemann said more could and must be done to achieve net zero, but that this did not necessarily require ever-increasing subsidies. Whether those positions can put Switzerland back on track to meet its climate targets remains open.