Switzerland rejects the creation of a tax to fight climate change

Switzerland has a privileged environment and its population has shown a particular respect for nature for centuries. Now, however, by popular vote, The Swiss citizens have rejected the draft law in defense of the climate that for three years had been prepared by the Federal Assembly (Parliament).

The tax initiative on carbon dioxide (_CO2) emissions, one of the most prominent proposals in the action in defense of the climate of the Swiss administrations, was rejected by 51.6% of the votes counted in the multipurpose popular consultation held on Sunday.

The participation in this consultation was about 60% of the electoral roll, a figure significantly higher than that of previous similar elections, and according to the website Swissinfo.ch the citizens of “the most rural cantons have been the ones who tipped the balance.

The results are partly interpreted as a victory for the oil industry, the road transport sector and, above all, for the Democratic Union of the Centre (UDC, conservative right), the only political group that is totally opposed to the new _CO2 tax.

Reducing emissions

The legislation aimed to halve Switzerland’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990, in line with commitments made under the Paris Climate Agreement. It was largely based on the “polluter pays” principle.

Initially approved by Parliament in September 2020, the new law contained measures related to road vehicles, air traffic, industrial emissions and building renovations. In particular, it provided for a tax of between 30 and 120 francs on airline tickets for flights departing from Switzerland, an increase from 5 to 12 cents per litre of the surcharge that fuel importers could apply to petrol and diesel, and an increase in the CO tax.₂ of diesel.

The right-wing UDC party has taken advantage of citizens’ fear of new taxes to criticize the climate proposal. The message that an approval at the polls of this law would have meant the increase in taxes on private transport, heating or holidays would have been the key to getting the majority of votes, said Mike Egger, deputy of the UDC party, as highlighted by Swissinfo.ch.

The rejection by popular vote has another explanation for some climate defenders. “The _CO2 law was going in the wrong direction: it targeted people and left out the big polluters,” Franziska Meinherz, a representative of the committee for social ecology, told Keystone/ATS news agency.

Source: The Vanguard