Climate protection enshrined in cantonal constitution

Climate protests and marches over the past few years prompted the Bern cantonal authorities to push for an amendment in the constitution. Keystone/Peter Schneider

Voters have decided to commit the Bern cantonal government to a policy of zero greenhouse emissions and climate protection.

The amended constitutional clause demands that the cantonal and local authorities take steps to slow down climate change and work towards climate neutrality by 2050.

Nearly 64% of voters came out in favour of the reform according to the Bern cantonal chancelleryExternal link.

Sunday’s vote was in response to public climate protests launched in 2019 and pressure notably by the Green Party.

Bern is only the second of the country’s 26 cantons – after Geneva -to include climate goals in their cantonal constitution. Several other cantons are currently drafting amendments to their constitutions.

Similar moves are underway at a national level to include zero CO2 emissions as a goal into the Swiss constitution.

Three months ago, Swiss voters rejected a CO2 tax, including price hikes for petrol and other fuels. The reform was aimed at cutting by half the country’s CO2 emissions by 2030 in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.