Allianz launches fight against environmental responsibility initiative
Published: Monday, Dec 16th 2024, 11:10
Updated At: Monday, Dec 16th 2024, 10:50
العودة إلى البث المباشر
A non-partisan alliance is opposing the environmental responsibility initiative for more environmental protection. The alliance describes what it calls the "impoverishment initiative" as utopian, nonsensical and irresponsible. The voters will decide in February.
The initiative is unnecessary because Switzerland is already on the way to reducing emissions and resource consumption, he told the media in Bern on Monday at the launch of the No campaign. The initiative would lead to exploding prices, a loss of purchasing power, a reduction in consumption and a drastic loss of prosperity.
The non-partisan alliance includes the FDP, SVP, Mitte and the Consumer Forum as well as Infra Suisse, the industry organization of construction companies active in infrastructure construction.
The Young Greens' initiative calls for Switzerland to reduce its overall environmental impact by around 67% within ten years. For the Alliance, this timetable is "utopian and irresponsible". It is also unnecessary because Switzerland has succeeded in decoupling economic growth from resource consumption.
Environmental protection first and foremost
The popular initiative also calls for an article in the constitution that puts environmental protection first. This is not necessary as, according to the opponents, the objective is already enshrined in Article 73 of the Federal Constitution.
The required reduction in environmental impact cannot be achieved linearly across all areas of consumption. For example, it would not be possible to simply close two thirds of hospitals. There would also be controls, production regulations, travel restrictions and import bans. Everyone would be forced to eat differently, live differently (heating, land consumption) and travel much less. Leisure time would also be affected.
"Socio-political bomb"
According to the non-partisan alliance, the initiative would hit the poorest in three ways and "is tantamount to a socio-political bomb": firstly, through the exploding prices for heating, petrol and basic foodstuffs; secondly, through the radical reduction in state benefits because the state would lack tax revenue and would have to invest in the transformation of infrastructure. Finally, many people, especially good taxpayers, would emigrate in order to escape the "ecological corset". The middle classes are paying the price.
Only countries such as Afghanistan, Haiti and Madagascar currently meet the initiative's requirements. The reason for this is their low level of prosperity, not their efficient use of resources. Their economic output is on average 150 times lower than that of Switzerland. "Nevertheless, the ecological footprint per capita in Switzerland is only around 5 times larger than in the countries mentioned above," the press release for the media conference stated.
Vote on February 9
On February 9, 2025, voters will decide on the popular initiative "For a responsible economy within planetary boundaries (environmental responsibility initiative)". The Young Greens' petition for a referendum was submitted in February 2023.
The initiators are calling for an article in the constitution that puts environmental protection first. In addition, Switzerland's environmental impact should be reduced in such a way that the planet's carrying capacity is respected. The Federal Council and Parliament reject the initiative.
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