Swiss Review 4/2019

Swiss Review / July 2019 / No.4 9 CVP as a majority creator The CVP was the only centre-right party in the Federal Council to support the far-reaching measures in the CO 2 Act in the National Council last year. The party committed itself to green concerns early on – most recently by supporting the energy transition. After the failure of the bill in the National Council, the party wants to play a key role for a new bill that is capable of gain- ing majority support. With regard to the autumn elections, the CVP wants to make ground as the “sole conservative party to consistently stand for environmental protection”. By doing so, it will disassociate itself from the SVP and the FDP, who have shown no interest in domestic CO 2 re- duction goals to date. The CVP also supports the levy on air tickets as well as financial incen- tives for home insulation and to replace oil heaters to reach the climate goals. Political representation: 41 seats in the National Council, 13 seats in the Council of States, 1 seat in the Federal Council. More on the CVP’s climate policy: ogy.de/cvp-klima The SP supports ecological restructuring The SP wants to speed up the energy transition so that Switzerland is climate-neutral by 2045. Therefore, it is calling for a fast and socially re- sponsible shift away from fossil energies. The financial centre should also become cli- mate-friendly. “No more investments in oil and gas should be approved.” The demand for re- newable energies should enable the ecological restructuring to create around 40,000 new jobs. The party wants to achieve these goals in Parlia- ment through numerous initiatives. The SP also supports the Glacier Initiative, which aims to incorporate climate protection in the constitu- tion and demands the implementation of the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement. With regard to the national elections, it will be diffi- cult for the SP to make ground on the climate issue as the Greens are flying high. Political representation: 43 seats in the National Council, 12 seats in the Council of States, 2 seats in the Federal Council More on the SP’s climate policy: ogy.de/sp-klima Greens have a Greta tailwind Environmental and climate protection are traditionally at the heart of Green policy. The Greens continue to prioritise a tough CO 2 Act. They are demand- ing more building refurbishments and an increase in the CO 2 levy. The agri- cultural and financial sector should also contribute to climate protection. Moreover, the Greens want to see worldwide climate equality. Switzerland should ensure that climate change-induced damage is financed according to a causation principle. During previous cantonal elections, the Greens have benefited the most from the ‘Greta Thunberg effect’. Whether they do well at a national level in the autumn depends to some extent on the climate issue remaining high on the political agenda. The Greens have pinned their colours to the climate mast by declaring the 2019 elections the “Climate Elections”. Political representation: 11 seats in the National Council, 1 seat in the Council of States. More on the Greens’ climate policy: ogy.de/gps-klima GLP banks on cleantech As a traditional environmental party, members of the green-liberal GLP also see themselves on the rise. The party wants to make Switzerland a pioneer through innovation and competition in the area of climate protec- tion. Swiss industry should bank on cleantech. This could generate a “massive export branch” as the Paris Climate Agreement also needs to be implemented in other countries. With regard to the CO 2 Act, the party is campaigning for a large percentage of the emissions to be offset in Swit- zerland. The GLP argues that measures are not just needed for building refurbishments but also for road and aviation traffic, which have not been touched to date. Like the Greens, the Green Liberals view the autumn na- tional elections as key – under the campaign motto: “It is time”. Political representation: 7 seats in the National Council. More on the GLP’s climate policy: ogy.de/glp-klima nosed “pseudoreligious dimensions” among the young climate protesters. And the Zurich national councillor Roger Köppel expressed his compas- sion for the young people in an inter- view, saying they are being used by “left-wing climate ideologues” and are serving a “red-green environmental dictatorship” which threatens social freedoms. According to Köppel: “It’s a scandal that our teachers are dragging their students to these politically con- trolled climate demonstrations”. Is Wirada Läderach being con- trolled by others and pseudoreli- giously blind? She says that such at- tacks leave her speechless: “We definitely need to act now; otherwise we run the risk of something truly ter- rible happening.” From her perspec- tive, the accusations are rather suspect. First, they accuse the youthof today of not being interested in politics and be- ing rather apathetic about it. “Andnow, when the youthhave found a topic that means a lot to them, they are accused of being controlledby others.” Perhaps the movement is deemed so provoca- tive “because it is thinking for itself”, she says. “More than just a family hobby” There is also another side to the pic- ture: striking teenagers with a cli- mate-unfriendly beef-burger in one hand and Coca-Cola in a throwaway can in another. Where is the consist- ency here? He is well aware of such ob- jections, says Linus Dolder. However: “You shouldn’t have to be perfect to have a voice.” Anyone who stands up for the climate movement is doing something: “That is what is impor- tant.” But ultimately, one’s own au- thenticity is what matters: “I cannot take part in the climate strike on Fri- day and then fly off on holiday on Sat- urday”. His approach: demand change and make changes himself. He has become a vegetarian for ecological reasons, says Dolder: “Now, my mother only cooks vegetarian food.” Läderach also