The global economy is too greedy, and Switzerland is not left out; It is on this observation that the Young Greens launched the so-called “environmental responsibility” initiative, on which the Swiss will vote on February 9.
But what is it about? We explain everything to you.
The text calls for a reorientation of the country’s economy, “on human needs before those of profit”, write the initiators. Within 10 years, Switzerland should limit itself to producing and importing only a quantity of resources that does not exceed planetary limits (read box).
It must also refrain from releasing more harmful substances than the environment can support. According to a study commissioned by Greenpeace, which advocates for the text, Switzerland exceeds the thresholds for global warming 19 times and 3.8 times those for biodiversity loss.
The consequence of overshooting, according to scientists, is an environment that becomes unstable, potentially catastrophic and difficult to predict. Environmental crises, extreme weather phenomena, irreversible changes: enough to endanger the functioning of humanity and its economy, point out the Young Greens and their allies.
Using the arguments of their opponents, they also point out that the costs of disruption could amount to some 10 billion per year.
The text obtained the support of the left and environmentalist circles as well as certain scientists. Note that France and Germany in particular already use these concepts to base political decisions.
The no camp, made up of economic circles and the right, as well as the Federal Council and Parliament, is very clear: if the initiative passes, the short-term consequences would be extremely serious for the wallets of the Swiss. The necessary transformation would require radical measures, and the price of basic foodstuffs and services would explode: according to them, the price of eggs or an apartment could quadruple.
The Swiss should change their habits in terms of vacations, leisure, food and mobility in particular. A laudable goal but unrealistic and impossible to implement, they believe. EconomieSuisse adds that the only countries that respect planetary limits today are countries in precarious situations, such as Afghanistan, Haiti or Madagascar.
The Federal Council also recalls that the Constitution already includes numerous provisions in favor of sustainability, which do not need to be supplemented.
What are planetary boundaries?
In 2009, an international team of researchers defined the areas which, if certain milestones are exceeded, would endanger the living conditions favorable to humanity. There we find:
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climate change
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the erosion of biodiversity
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use of fresh water
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modification of land use (notably through deforestation)
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the disruption of nitrogen and phosphorus cycles (in particular through the release of fertilizers and pesticides into the soil)
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the introduction of new substances into the atmosphere (heavy metals, synthetic or radioactive compounds)
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ozone layer depletion
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ocean acidification
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the concentration of aerosols in the atmosphere
Of these nine limits, the first six have already been exceeded, according to calculations by scientists around the world.
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