Switzerland is expected to produce around 660 million tonnes of C02 equivalent for the period 2020 to 2050, if it meets its climate targets. The Confederation reveals this figure in response to a conviction for climate inaction. Scientists and environmental associations believe, on the contrary, that the carbon budget will soon be exhausted.
Last April, the European Court of Human Rights condemned Switzerland for its climate inaction. This decision received international attention.
>> Read on this subject: The European Court of Human Rights condemns Switzerland for climate inaction
The official response of the Federal Council reached the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe at the end of September. According to the government, this response demonstrates that Switzerland is doing enough to reduce its carbon footprint, in accordance with the goals it has set for itself.
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Too optimistic calculations?
Switzerland would thus have a residual carbon budget of 660 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent for the period from 2020 to 2050 if it respects its climate objectives, or 0.13% of the global carbon budget. This is the first time that the Confederation has made this estimate.
Sonia Seneviratne, professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ), welcomes this approach on Friday in La Matinale. But the climatologist believes that these results are at first glance very optimistic. The Confederation takes into account the period 2020-2050. But, the problem is, the global budget has already decreased significantly since 2020, underlines Sonia Seneviratne. “There is a study which shows that the total budget which now remains in 2024 represents less than half of what we had in 2020. That was not taken into account at first glance”, according to her.
Budget almost exhausted according to the ETHZ
A study carried out at the ETHZ but not yet published would also arrive at figures much lower than those of the Confederation. Switzerland’s remaining carbon budget would thus be 280 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent for the next 30 years. Switzerland could therefore not spend as much CO2 as planned by the Federal Council. The budget would even soon be exhausted.
Greenpeace and the Climate Elders who initiated the complaint to the European Court of Human Rights therefore find it difficult to understand how the Federal Council can conclude that Switzerland already meets its requirements in terms of climate policy.
Radio subject: Céline Fontannaz
Adaptation web: Julie Liardet
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