Environment director warns of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland

The director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) has warned of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland in an interview with SonntagsBlick on Sunday. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox "Natural hazards are becoming more frequent and more intense, and Switzerland is becoming more vulnerable because of its population density," Katrin Schneeberger told SonntagsBlick. The thawing of permafrost is a major problem that is making mountains less stable, resulting in more frequent landslides and rockfalls, she said. Global warming affects not only the Alps, but also the central Plateau regions, towns and cities - "in short, all of us", she adds. The concrete surfaces of cities are unable to absorb water in the event of heavy rainfall, which explains around half of the damage caused by flooding, said Schneeberger. Adapt+ programme The environment office director points out that urban areas struggle to cool down at night during heatwaves ...