The text was rejected by a majority of cantons. Only Geneva (51.2%) and Basel-Stadt (57.7%) gave their approval to the initiative. The no vote received 1,579,267 votes, while 926,208 Swiss citizens cast a yes vote.
The no vote is lowest in Neuchâtel (56.2%) and in the canton of Vaud (60%). The Jura refuses at 64.8%, Fribourg at 65.7% and Valais at 73.9%. The rejection rises to 64.2% in Ticino and 61.7% in Bern.
Elsewhere in German-speaking Switzerland, the share of no votes is 58.3% in Zurich, the most populous canton in Switzerland. Basel-Landschaft rejects the initiative by 58.7%. All other German-speaking cantons do the same by more than 60%. The rate climbs to 74.6% in Appenzell Innerrhoden, 75.5% in Obwalden, 75.6% in Uri, 75.8% in Nidwalden and 76.6% in Schwyz.
City-country divide
The initiative called for sufficient resources and areas to better protect biodiversity and nature, even outside protected areas, as well as better protection of the landscape and built heritage. It was the subject of a tense campaign, rekindling the urban-rural divide.
Only a few dozen municipalities said yes, and they were almost all cities. In French-speaking Switzerland, Lausanne approved the text with 60.3%, Vevey with 58.7%, Geneva with 57.8%, Fribourg with 57.4% and Neuchâtel with 53.9%.
Across the Sarine, the cities of Bern (68%) and Basel (60%) voted in favour of the initiative. Solothurn, Lucerne, Olten, Aarau and St. Gallen also said yes, with between 50 and 60%. As did all the constituencies of the city of Zurich.
Conversely, the champions of the no vote are in Upper Valais and central Switzerland. The municipality of Zwischbergen (VS), which received 31 votes, recorded 100% no to the initiative. In the canton of Uri, Spiringen rejected the text with 95.3% of the votes, as did its neighbouring municipality Unterschächen (96.3%).
The committee, made up of nature and landscape protection organisations, was supported by the Greens, the SP and the PVL. For the Federal Council, the Centre, the PLR, the SVP, as well as the business and agricultural sectors, the initiative went too far. Other interests, such as energy supply or agricultural production, must not be forgotten.
