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- The SVP supports the referendum against the new CO2 law.
- The referendum is supported by a committee of business associations, including those from the oil and automotive industries.
- The SVP presented its own climate policy position paper at a press conference.
- From the SVP point of view, the CO2 Law is not necessary. Switzerland is doing “excellent” when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions.
In early October, the SVP announced that it would support the referendum against the CO2 law. On Tuesday, he presented his position paper on environmental and energy policy entitled “For a climate of reason” at a press conference.
In the last ten years, Switzerland has reduced per capita greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent, said Senior Vice President Marco Chiesa. This was not achieved through government intervention and tutelage, but because new technologies are available and invested in the Swiss economy and population.
If greenhouse gas emissions continue to develop in this way, Switzerland will have halved per capita emissions by 2030.
“It is important to remain calm: if greenhouse gas emissions continue to develop in this way, Switzerland will have halved per capita emissions by 2030,” said Chiesa. The SVP does not see the need to introduce new provisions for CO2 reduction. New drastic measures, charges and fees should be avoided.
“The CO2 law is a monster of the bureaucracy”
SVP National Councilor Christian Imark (SO) added that the CO2 law was the wrong approach. The question is not what new taxes, bans and redistribution mechanisms are needed, but rather which incentives for investment should be created.
“The CO2 law is a bureaucratic monster,” he said. Private investment should be “boosted”, not state expansion. The question must be: How are investments in new technologies activated? According to Imark, a climate mortgage would be one approach, for example.
Free investment and new technologies
National Councilor Senior Vice President Diana Gutjahr (TG) said that the Swiss economy is also on track without a CO2 law. The same applies to the private sector as to the economy: “We do not need prohibitions or regulations, we need freedom of investment.”
National Councilor Thomas Hurter (SVP / SH) added that new technologies are also being used in traffic and developments, for example in the area of electric vehicles, are already underway.
According to National Councilor Pierre-André Page (SVP / FR), the conditions for agriculture must also be created. Companies could develop in a future-oriented and market-oriented way, for example, by approving biogas plants, greenhouses, solar collectors and wind turbines.
Billions in costs
At the press conference, the CO2 law would cause high costs: it would cost the general public and the economy between 30 and 40 billion Swiss francs in the coming years due to higher taxes and tariffs. The CO2 Law would cost a household four CHF 1,500 a year.
