In 2015, it was on average 2.2 degrees Celsius hotter in Switzerland than the year before, in fact the hottest it has been since measurements began in 1864. (SRF/swissinfo.ch)
This content was published on
1 minute
In the southern canton of Ticino, July was on average five degrees Celsius warmer than usual.
A wet spring was followed by three months of drought. The hot, dry summer was great for tourism but dire for farmers as fruit and vegetables struggled to grow.
Some scientists directly link extreme weather conditions like these to global warming. Others say simply that climate change may have an influence.
But most people seem to agree that global warming caused by burning fossil fuels should be checked. At the Paris climate conference, it was decided that global temperature rises should be limited to two degrees Celsius by the end of the century, achieved through cutting CO2 emissions.
Switzerland has agreed to cut its emissions by 1% per year, mainly through trading in carbon credits, which means financing climate projects abroad.
Popular Stories
More
Culture
Documentary portrays Swiss teenagers forced to return to parents’ homeland
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.
Read more
More
Climate agreement: history or hypocrisy?
This content was published on
“It will be particularly interesting to follow how – from Riyad to Caracas – the oil-producing countries will respect the commitments made in Paris on December 12, 2015, a date that could become history,” wrote the French-language newspaper Tribune de Genève. “Is it a moment for the history books or just a continuation of a…
Climate treaty just a beginning, says Swiss minister
This content was published on
A historic climate treaty limiting global warming marks the beginning of a longer process, says Swiss Environment Minister Doris Leuthard.
This content was published on
The United Nations weather agency, which is home to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s top scientific authority on global warming, says it is likely that the world has now warmed by 1°C over pre-industrial times. More carbon emissions bring rising temperatures, changing seasons, higher sea levels and more frequent catastrophic weather events.…
This content was published on
Sun worshippers may be appreciating the current heatwave in Switzerland, but soaring temperatures over the past few weeks, which have regularly exceeded 30 degrees Celsius, are giving the authorities headaches for a range of reasons.
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.