‘Climate alarm’ aims to wake up politicians

"Targets need measures" read the banner of one marcher in Bern Keystone

More than 1,000 people have marched to the parliament building in Bern, making a din with all sorts of instruments as part of a “climate alarm”. 

The peaceful demonstration was organised by Climate Alliance SwitzerlandExternal link, which comprises more than 70 organisations from the environmental, development and social sectors. Their targets included a possible weakening of the CO2 lawExternal link by the Swiss parliament. 

“No measures, no future” was on the banner of a group of protestors from French-speaking Switzerland. Most of the participants used pots and lids, rattles, whistles and drums to make a noise, symbolically waking up politics. 

Speakers pointed out that under the currents laws Switzerland was failing to reach its climate targets and, what’s more, the country now faced the threat of even weaker CO2 legislation. “Instead of reducing CO2 emissions more quickly, they would decrease much more slowly from 2020 than today,” they said. 

One of the Climate Alliance’s demands is to include the Paris Climate GoalExternal link – limiting the temperature rise to well below 2°C – in the CO2 law. Switzerland should also implement the polluter-pays principle and in addition to road traffic, air traffic should also bear the costs to the climate.

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