Climate activists resume street protests

Demonstrations were not only held in Zurich (picture) but in others cities and towns across Switzerland. Keystone/Ennio Leanza

An estimated 30,000 people have participated in street protests across Switzerland to demand concrete steps to reduce global warming.

Organisers said more than 100 events took place in cities and towns notably in German- and French-speaking regions of the country. A private TV station also brodcast live in the Italian-language region.

The biggest protest attracted about 8,000 people in the city of Lausanne despite the rainy weather, according to local police.

The so-called Strike for Future day of action was organised by climate activists, trade unions, feminists, church groups and other NGOs on Friday.

The demonstrators want Switzerland to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2030.

Voters will decide next month about a reform of the Co2 law, approved by parliament last year. But critics argue the reform is not ambitious enough as the government aims for zero emissions by 2050.

The day of actionExternal link culminated in a ‘climate alarm’ at midday when many activists used whistles and pan lids to draw attention to their demands.

It was the first major public climate protest since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in Switzerland 15 months ago. A similar demonstration is planned later this year.