Environmental alliance calls on Switzerland to encourage sustainable travel
Most Swiss flights are to a European destination that could also be reached by more climate-friendly night trains, environmental organisations argue.
Keystone
If Switzerland wants to achieve the targets set by the Paris climate agreement, it must make climate-friendly modes of travel more attractive, an environmental group said in an open letter on Monday.
The letter was addressed to transport minister Doris Leuthard, and co-signed by many other environmental and transport organisation as well as by the Social Democratic Party, the Green Party, and the Young Socialists.
Presented to the Federal Office of TransportExternal link on Monday, the letter’s authors pointed out that the climate impact of air transport represents 18% of Switzerland’s total climate impact, and that the Swiss travel twice as often by air than inhabitants of neighbouring European countries.
More than 80% of flights in Switzerland are to another European destination, the letter said, and therefore the potential for saving greenhouse gas emissions in this area is particularly great.
Alternative options
The authors of the letter said that up to a distance of 1,500 kilometres (932 miles), night trains are a more environmentally friendly travel option than airplanes. But train service providers have been suffering from very cheap airplane fares for years, and the rail travel options on offer have diminished accordingly.
Air travel is in the process of becoming the main source of climate change, the authors argued, predicting that by 2030, flying will exhaust Switzerland’s annual carbon budget alone.
Switzerland therefore needs to impose changes that reflect the true cost of air travel, and promote more sustainable rail transport at the same time. The transport ministry must support and encourage such measures and communicate actively in this area, the authors emphasised.
More
More
Train travel to become cheaper in Switzerland
This content was published on
Swiss train ticket prices are set to drop by 0.3% in June as a consequence of lower value-added tax (VAT).
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
UN officials in Geneva report over 100 civilian executions in western Syria
This content was published on
Verification is ongoing, and the actual number is likely higher, said a UN spokesperson in Geneva. A Syrian NGO claims executions could exceed 1,000.
Swiss pharma giant Roche partners with Zealand Pharma on new obesity treatment
This content was published on
Roche announced that it has struck an exclusive deal with Denmark's Zealand Pharma to develop and market petrelintide, a new treatment for obesity.
Experts lower Swiss growth forecasts due to US trade tensions
This content was published on
The uncertainty caused by ongoing trade conflicts is making companies hesitant to make decisions, which significantly hinders investment.
Swiss abbot resumes role following abuse investigation
This content was published on
Scarcella was accused in the Catholic Church abuse scandal last autumn. In October 2024, the Vatican declared there was no evidence of abuse or harassment against him.
Swiss stock exchange operator SIX to cut 150 jobs in efficiency drive
This content was published on
"We're not revealing the number of job losses at each location at the moment," said a SIX spokesperson. However, there will be cuts in Switzerland as well.
Martin Pfister named new Swiss government minister
This content was published on
Pfister’s election keeps the linguistic balance of Switzerland’s government, but shifts gender balance to only two women.
Swiss interior minister meets UN leaders in New York for women’s rights session
This content was published on
The Swiss interior minister also held bilateral meetings with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women
The image of foreigners in Switzerland has deteriorated
This content was published on
The Federal Statistical Office has found that Swiss people’s views of foreigners have worsened over the last couple of years.
After mild winter, nature wakes up earlier in Switzerland
This content was published on
Once again this year, nature has woken up earlier than normal, between a week and ten days ahead of schedule due to a mild winter.
This content was published on
Nationwide strikes in France against railway reforms have resulted in all rail connections to Switzerland being cancelled on Tuesday.
This content was published on
Now that the Paris Climate Agreement has entered into force, Switzerland will have more say at international negotiations on climate change.
Swiss president ‘optimistic’ two years after COP21
This content was published on
Swiss president Doris Leuthard attended the One Planet Summit in Paris exactly two years after the historic COP21 climate conference in the same city.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.