Politics and administration
Climate protection and subsidies
Switzerland is looking to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050. So far, comparatively little attention has been paid to subsidies in the climate law debate. The conference focused on the question: “Climate protection and subsidies: Is there a need for reform?” and provided answers.
The interdisciplinary conference entitled “Climate protection and subsidies: Is there a need for reform?” discussed the compatibility of current subsidization from the federal government, cantons and communes, and the efforts to limit global warming. At this subsidy conference in Bern, six top-class speakers, including Dr. Silvia Banfi Frost (Energy Officer of the City of Zurich) and Prof. Dr. Thomas Stocker (Professor of Climate and Environmental Physics at the University of Bern), met with an interested audience. Does the practice of awarding subsidies need to be reformed and should the state incentive structure be put on a broader base to ensure the goals of the Paris Agreement can be obtained? How can that be organized? Legal aspects are becoming ever more important in climate protection. The significance of subsidies in Switzerland is also shown by a figure defined by the think tank for economic and social issues Avenir Suisse in 2022: The federal government alone spends CHF 57 billion a year. Certain subsidies can promote developments which actually increase greenhouse gas emissions. For example, subsidies paid to airports and a reduced mineral oil tax. Alongside this direct support, there are also indirect factors, for example tax relief on owner-occupied properties, which can increase mobility.