Climate is a concern in Switzerland but no longer a priority

Climate change is one of the main concerns of the Swiss population. However, most citizens don’t want to invest more money in the ecological transition, as shown by their rejection of the climate fund initiative on Sunday. Why is this? The outcome at the ballot box was clear: the Swiss do not want to increase public climate funding, or at least not in the form advocated by left-wing or green parties. On Sunday 71% of voters rejected the initiative calling for up to 1% of gross domestic product to be invested annually in measures to protect the climate and nature. In the current context it is difficult to achieve consensus around a proposal that entails costs but which nobody knows how to finance, said Cloé Jans, political scientist at the gfs.bern institute. "People are more cautious today," she told Swissinfo. Switzerland is currently debating the financing of the 13th monthly pension payment, approved by popular vote in 2024, and the increase in military spending. The initiative ...