Federal Council requests 2.207 billion francs for environmental protection
Published: Wednesday, Feb 21st 2024, 11:50
Updated At: Wednesday, Feb 21st 2024, 11:50
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The Federal Council plans to invest a total of CHF 2.207 billion in environmental protection, the strengthening of biodiversity and protection against natural hazards by 2028. On Wednesday, it submitted the corresponding dispatch on credit commitments to Parliament.
Switzerland's environmental policy is currently facing various major challenges, writes the Federal Council in its dispatch. These include protection against climate change, the preservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural and scarce resources.
National and international laws oblige Switzerland to protect people and nature and to work to preserve natural resources such as clean water, clean air and fertile soil. The requested commitment credits were used to co-finance the cantonal measures for environmental protection.
Projects over four years
The funds are to be used primarily in four-year contracts between the federal government and the cantons, known as program agreements. To this end, the federal government negotiates targets with the cantons in various environmental areas. The cantons then receive federal funding to achieve the projects.
According to the draft federal decree, the Federal Council envisages, among other things, four-year commitment credits of CHF 481 million for flood protection, CHF 451 million for forests, CHF 384 million for nature and landscape, CHF 153 million for protection against natural hazards, CHF 146 million for revitalization, CHF 102 million for noise protection and CHF 32 million for wildlife and hunting.
Society can also benefit
The bill also includes commitment credits for wastewater treatment plants amounting to CHF 450 million. This could be used to finance federal compensation for the construction and procurement of plants for the elimination of organic trace substances. A further CHF 8 million is planned for residual water remediation projects.
In the case of complex projects that require an assessment by the federal government, individual projects can also be supported. This is the case, for example, with flood protection projects, protection against natural hazards or revitalization projects.
The Federal Council writes that regions throughout Switzerland can benefit from environmental protection measures not only ecologically, but also economically and socially. For example, the maintenance of forests, the revitalization of water bodies and the promotion of nature reserves "lead to increased well-being for people".
Parliament will decide on the commitment credits.
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