The demonstration in Bern, coordinated by the Swiss Climate Strike movement, assembled some 3,500 people, estimated the Keystone-SDA news agency.
Participants marched through the city centre before gathering on parliament square, where speakers took to a makeshift stage to read out demands aimed at Swiss and international leaders.
According to the homepage of the climate strike movementExternal link, these demands include the declaration of a state of climate emergency, the attainment of net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, stricter regulation of the financial sector, and a “system change” to make all this possible.
Ahead of next weekend’s COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, the demonstrators also demanded more “climate justice” through a better inclusion of voices from the global south and from parts of the world most affected by climate change.
Events also took place in other Swiss cities on Friday, notably Basel, Bellinzona, Biel/Bienne, and Geneva, where 2,000 gathered in front of the United Nations building. Similar protests also took place abroad, notably in Berlin.
It’s the second day of climate demonstrations in Switzerland in the past month; on September 24, thousands took part in a day of protest instigated by the international “Fridays for FutureExternal link” movement.
External Content
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Abroad
The citizenship obstacle course facing spouses of Swiss Abroad
Swiss committee wants to end government resignations during legislative term
This content was published on
Members of the Federal Council should no longer be able to leave office before the end of their term, according to a House of Representatives committee.
Swiss government seat: Ritter and Pfister nominated to succeed Amherd
This content was published on
Markus Ritter from St Gallen and Martin Pfister from Zug were officially nominated by the Centre Party on Friday to succeed Defence Minister Viola Amherd.
Top Swiss court rejects Russian request for administrative tax assistance
This content was published on
There is currently no reason to transmit banking information to the Russian Federation, the Swiss Federal Court has ruled.
After strike by radiologists, doctors demonstrate in Bern
This content was published on
Following a strike by radiology technicians in Fribourg, doctors, vets, dentists and chiropractors expressed their frustration on Friday outside parliament in the Swiss capital.
Eurovision and bleak world situation are top themes at Basel carnival
This content was published on
The Eurovision Song Contest and the gloomy global situation are among the main themes of Basel Fasnacht (carnival) this year.
Prices of Swiss investment properties continue to rise despite stagnating rents
This content was published on
Although rents in Switzerland stagnated or fell in the final quarter of last year, prices for investment properties continued to rise. Both apartment buildings and office properties have become more expensive.
Probe into wrong Swiss pension figures clears federal office
This content was published on
Employees of the Swiss Federal Social Insurance Office (FSIO) did not breach their duty of care when calculating pension prospects, an investigation has concluded.
This content was published on
Hotels in the southern Swiss canton of Ticino welcomed significantly more guests last December than in the same month of the previous year.
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 strikes restart after Covid-19 outbreak
This content was published on
Climate strikes are being held in 18 Swiss towns and cities on Friday – the first since the coronavirus pandemic broke out.
Demonstrators in Swiss cities join Global Climate Strike
This content was published on
Thousands of people in Swiss cities join a Global Climate Strike day of protest, just weeks before the COP26 environmental summit.
Thunberg joins more than 10,000 climate strikers in Lausanne
This content was published on
Thousands of people have joined an anniversary climate strike in Lausanne, also attended by 17-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.
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.