JANUARY 2023 Swiss Review The magazine for the Swiss Abroad In the shadow of war, Switzerland is relying on the power of the sun Lake Brienz: How a murky body of water became probably the cleanest lake in Switzerland In the run-up to the 2023 elections, the parties are focusing on the “Fifth Switzerland”
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Have you heard of the “Banana” from the Biel engineering college? It was not a fruit. It was a banana-shaped, bananayellow solar racing vehicle, built in 1985. Hence the nickname. The only power source it needed was direct exposure to sunlight. Other than this, the fragile looking speedster was primarily a sort of utopian soapbox car cobbled together using low-cost building materials: the chassis was made from recycled aluminium ski poles from Swiss Army stocks. The “Banana” was not a thing of beauty. It was, however, fast. In the 1985 long-distance race across Switzerland, it finished just behind the winner, Mercedes. By 1986, the Biel team had become unbeatable. Competing with an updated version of their vehicle, they were the first official solar racing vehicle world champions. Then, in 1990, the Biel team reached their zenith during the longest and hardest race for solar vehicles – all the way across Australia: their vehicle “Spirit of Biel II” outclassed the clear favourites Honda and all the other major high-tech groups in the race. The sun often shone brightly on the Biel team. In 1996 alone, they broke ten speed and distance records. They achieved a speed of 161 km per hour, leaving the previous record of General Motors in the dust. Why are we looking back at this now? Because it raises the question of why a once pioneering solar energy nation is now languishing at the back of the European mid table. The Biel crew brought home the silverware, but they did not inspire any great transition in energy policy. This transition was finally made possible by the Swiss parliament in September 2022. It decided that extensive solar power stations could now be built in a very short space of time in the Alps. The driving force behind this decision was not utopia or enthusiasm; it was fear. The war in Ukraine is threatening energy supply even in Switzerland – and energy prices have risen massively as a result. It is no great surprise that there is an internal conflict at the heart of the new Swiss solar offensive, as it plays natural resources off against each other: more energy from natural sources, and less protection for the natural mountain landscapes in the process. We take a closer look at this in our Focus article (starts on page 4). We have included a couple of nostalgic pictures of the “Spirit of Biel” on revue.link/spiritofbiel. These pictures are a good 30 years old and date from a time when solar energy looked set to catch on in Switzerland. MARC LETTAU, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 4 Focus Switzerland ups the pace in the production of solar energy 9 News Federal Council elections 2022: stability preserved and only limited change 10 Report Lake Brienz: once well fertilised and now almost too clean... 13 Economy Coffee wars: Migros challenges market leader Nespresso 14 Nature and the Environment The revival of chestnuts as Swiss cultural heritage News from your region 17 Swiss Figures 18 Politics The impact of the 2019 elections A political scientist takes a look back Swiss parties react to the growing weight of the “Fifth Switzerland” 22 Literature 24 From the Federal Palace How the FDFA wants to raise awareness among seniors in the “Fifth Switzerland” 27 Swiss Community News The Council of the Swiss Abroad adopts a position on Swiss neutrality 30 Discussion The speedy banana Cover photo: solar technicians on the roof of the Sevelen (SG) gym. Archive image: Keystone (2011) “Swiss Review”, the information magazine for the “Fifth Switzerland”, is published by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad. Swiss Review / January 2023 / No.1 3 Editorial Contents
STÉPHANE HERZOG Swiss photovoltaic solar energy specialists have been taken by surprise. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, installing photovoltaic panels has suddenly become a priority. Firms cannot keep up with demand. “Our headcount has doubled since 2021,” says Yvan Laterza, owner of I-Watt, a small company based in Martigny (VS), which is currently wrestling with supply issues. “Forty years ago, our message fell on deaf ears. Now, the conditions are in place for renewable energy, and for photovoltaic solar in particular,” states Jean-Louis Scartezzini, who runs the Solar Energy and Building In Switzerland, photovoltaic energy represents around 6% of electricity consumption. This is a rather mediocre figure by European standards. The war in Ukraine has delivered an electric shock. Solar projects are springing up everywhere, including in the Alps. But the controversy is growing. Physics Laboratory at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL). The engineer describes a Switzerland that was ahead of the curve for solar between 1985 and 1995 but that ended up resting on its laurels, and failed to train enough professionals in the field. Stéphane Genoud, a professor of energy management at the HES-SO Valais-Wallis, thinks this delay is a pity. “In Europe, there is legislation to say that all new buildings have to be fitted with solar panels, and existing buildings will soon have to be as well,” he points out. “We were a bit slow with the transition,” admits Boosted by the war, the Swiss solar energy sector is now eyeing mountain pastures Swiss Review / January 2023 / No.1 Focus 4
5 new building with a surface area greater than 300 m2 is built, a solar installation will have to be fitted to the roof or the facades. These installations will not be subject to the rules set down by the Federal Act on Spatial Planning: the purpose of building them will benefit other national, regional and local interests. The provisions were voted into law with help from the Green Party and have stirred up some heated discussions in Valais, where an Alpine solar megastation project is being drawn up (see box). For Green MP Céline Dessimoz, these decisions are a sign of excessive haste. “Parliament is being extreme, and ignoring the laws on spatial planning and the environment that we fought so hard for,” she complains. The ecologist believes that installing solar panels in mountain pastures is being done for purely commercial reasons. “Now that towns have recognised the potential of such projects, everything is going full speed ahead. But we cannot promote photovoltaic power at the expense of the countryside and biodiversity.” Jacques Bourgeois is amused by this statement. “We’re being told we have to get out of nuclear power, and as soon as we can do so, people oppose it,” he says. The Liberal politician believes that the Alpine projects enabled by the Federal Act on Spatial ity produced partially by burning Russian natural gas. Electricity prices shot up, with increases of over 30 per cent. In central Valais, inhabitants saw the price of kWh go from 20 to 28 centimes, breaking 20 years of stability, according to Arnaud Zufferey, whose consulting firm advises local authorities on the energy transition. The whole process is gaining pace, “but solar power was already profitable five years ago”, he emphasises. His house is fitted with solar panels. The current produced costs 15 centimes per kWh and charges an electric car. The surplus energy produced will, in the near future, be purchased at the same price by Valais electricity distributor Oiken. One solar panel of ten metres square can provide enough energy to drive 10,000 kilometres a year, he says. Swiss Federal Parliament speeds up introduction of solar Another major boost was observed in September 2022, when the Federal Parliament passed an emergency law to facilitate the construction of largescale solar installations in the Alps. These power stations, which will have an annual yield greater than 10 gigawatt hours, will qualify for easier planning permission and a subsidy from the Confederation. Whenever a Member of the National Council for the Liberals, Jacques Bourgeois (FR), who cites the example of southern Germany, where solar power has a firm foothold. Fresh interest in solar was sparked by Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, amongst other people. In September 2021, the minister mentioned the possibility of an electricity shortage, based on a report on the security of the electricity supply in Switzerland. This triggered a wave of panic. When Ukraine was invaded, the Swiss became aware of their energy dependency, especially on French nuclear energy, but also on German electricThe order books of Swiss solar firms are full to bursting, but they are short of personnel: there is a massive skills shortage in the sector. Photo: Keystone The solar offensive in Switzerland now means that large photovoltaic power plants can be built outside building zones, such as in high-altitude areas in the Alps. Photo: iStock Swiss Review / January 2023 / No.1
This was a planned solar power station in the Valais Alps, launched in an article published by a local newspaper. The article’s author was politician and former chairman of the Swiss Social Democratic Party (1987-1997) Peter Bodenmann. The article, titled “Make Grengiols Great Again!” and published in the “Walliser Bote” in February 2022, sang the praises of a potential facility that would generate a billion kilowatt hours of electricity, mainly available during the winter. The Grengiols meadows, located in the Binn Valley natural park, were to host two-sided solar panels spanning an area equivalent to 700 football pitches. This site, supported by the town of Grengiols, would meet the electricity requirements of at least 100,000 inhabitants. As a bonus, these panels would be twice as effective as normal, owing to the altitude and the sunlight levels. Grengiols solar megastation: a case in point to build gigantic installations on empty sites, but we don’t have the political will to fit them to roofs, car parks or motorways,” he laments. When contacted in his hotel in Brig, Peter Bodenmann dismissed these arguments. What about the fact that the calculations of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland and the University of Geneva show that transporting electricity from Grengiols to the valley will pose technical problems? “Those people are misinformed,” replies Bodenmann. How about the impact on the environment? “The panels will promote biodiversity by creating areas that are protected from the heat.” “We have a problem in the winter. But the panels installed at high altitude will be able to generate four times as much power as those at ground level,” concludes the former Socialist Party chairman. (SH) Planning are a step in the right direction. “Solar panels are twice as effective at high altitude,” he explains. Solar panels on train tracks and motorways In the view of engineer and professor at EPFL, Jean-Louis Scartezzini, the focus must be on fitting solar panels to roofs, railways and motorways. All these potential locations are already connected to the power grid and are in close proximity to consumers. The building physics expert cites the fact that there are 850 square kilometres of roads in Switzerland and 500 square kilometres of roofs. Scartezzini also emphasises the need to strike a balance between producing energy and protecting the environment. “Switzerland has lost two-thirds of its insect mass since 1990, which is having incalculable consequences on biodiversity and on life in general. We have to take this into account.” Converting alpine pastures into industrial solar energy sites would therefore involve a risk disproportionate to the reward, he believes. “This facility could be built right now,” centrist Valais Member of the Council of States Beat Rieder told the media, which conveyed Peter Bodenmann’s idea to the government in Berne. The government then passed September’s legislative programme at record speed in order to promote solar energy. This project triggered a wave of protest from environmental organisations, especially from the Franz Weber Foundation. Even the Swiss Academy of Sciences urged caution. Member of the National Council for the Green Party Christophe Clivaz (VS) condemned the fact that no feasibility study had been carried out for the scheme. He believes that the operator Swissgrid will be unable to transport current to the valley within the deadline imposed by this urgent law, which makes the subsidies contingent on the facility being operational by 2025. “We can manage The Alpine countryside in Grengiols today (left picture) – and a simulation of the planned project by IG Saflischtal. It is critically opposed to the proposal. Image materials: IG Saflischtal “Forty years ago, our message fell on deaf ears. Now, conditions are favourable for renewable energies, and for photovoltaic power in particular.” Jean-Louis Scartezzini engineer and professor at EPFL Swiss Review / January 2023 / No.1 6 Focus
Swiss solar energy’s growth curve is as steep as the Alps At its current rate, photovoltaic solar energy is on course to meet its objectives for 2050. The price of solar panels is falling, and their effectiveness has doubled. Wind farms are emerging as an ad hoc winter energy source. Around three terawatt hours (TWh) of solar energy is produced in Switzerland, a little over the electricity produced annually by the former nuclear power plant at Mühleberg (BE). This figure represents approximately six percent of the electricity consumed in Switzerland, a pretty mediocre share by European standards. In future, the roofs and facades of Swiss houses could produce 67 terawatt hours of solar energy a year, Swissolar estimates. Some 700 megawatts’ (MW) worth of photovoltaic panels were fitted in 2021. This figure is set to reach a record power rating of 1,000 MW in 2022, in the estimation of Jean-Louis Scartezzini, professor at EPFL. If this trend continues, the Swiss Confederation’s objective of producing 34 terawatt hours of photovoltaic power by 2050 could be met, he believes. Total electricity consumption is currently 58 TWh, with 18 TWh coming from nuclear power and 10 TWh from hydroelectric dams in Valais. The determining factors in the expansion of solar power are the efficiency and the price of solar panels. Their price has fallen by over 90 percent in the past 12 years and their energy yield has doubled in 30 years. An EPFL study showed that simply making use of all south-facing roofs in the country could meet more than 40 percent of Swiss electricity demand. The first step in extending solar power will be to set up largescale solar power stations. “The bigger it is, the cheaper it becomes,” says Valais engineer Arnaud Zufferey. The cost price of one kWh produced on a large roof ranges from three to five centimes. This price triples for a villa. A panel of differing opinions Ever since the second amendment to the Federal Act on Spatial Planning in 2018, the only formality required when fitting solar panels is to fill out a registration form. On the other hand, the process of installing solar panels in locations other than buildable areas and buildings is long and drawn out, because there is no clear legal basis for it. It is precisely these rules that the parliament decided to relax (see main text on page 4). Yvan Laterza, who runs a solar panel installation firm in Martigny, allows for 20 hours in order to get all the legal paperwork done before beginning an installation. “The fire brigade or chimney sweeps sometimes demand certain documents, which have to be in paper form, so that takes time,” he says. In Geneva, independent engineer François Guisan highlights the obstacles that can arise with regard to protecting national heritage. These restrictions can even apply to buildings that were built in the 1960s. Wind: solar’s cousin Alongside solar energy, there is wind energy. More wind energy is generated in the winter, at a time when photovoltaic energy production drops. “Austria has over 1,400 wind turbines and Switzerland has around 40; however, our national geography is very similar to theirs, and the Austrians are not renowned for destroying their natural environment,” remarks Scartezzini. Switzerland’s potential for wind energy production was estimated at 5 TWh per annum in a study carried out by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy in 2012. “However, under the current legal framework, where wind turbines could potentially also be set up in forested areas, this estimate has been increased.” This potential is now rated at 30 TWh. (SH) In Switzerland, enough sunlight falls on the south-facing roofs alone to cover 40% of the country’s energy requirements. Facades are also increasingly being used, such as here in Winterthur. Photo: Keystone Swiss Review / January 2023 / No.1 7
Canton Basel-Stadt becomes a climate pioneer Canton Basel-Stadt is aiming to become climate-neutral by 2037, i.e. to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions. The population of the city canton voted for the measure in November 2022. This makes Basel-Stadt a climate pioneer. This is the most ambitious environmental political goal ever set in Switzerland. Climate neutrality for the whole country is set to be achieved by 2050. The city of Zurich is aiming to become climate-neutral by 2040, and Berne by 2045. (MUL) Federal Council extends the ‘S’ protective status Because the war in Ukraine is not expected to end in the near future, the Federal Council is extending the ‘S’ protective status for asylum seekers from Ukraine. Initially, the decision was taken to provide refugees with protection and support for one year, i.e. until March 2023. Now, however, these protective measures have been prolonged by a year. (MUL) Federal railways losing millions Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) generates most of the electricity it needs in its own hydroelectric power plants. Owing to this year’s severe drought, however, the SBB needed to purchase large amounts of electricity and is forecasting a loss of 180 million Swiss francs for 2022. The sharp rise in energy prices triggered by the war in Ukraine is thus hitting the railway company full force. (MUL) Valais votes Yes to assisted dying in retirement homes Accompanied dying, also known as assisted suicide, is legal in Switzerland. In the Catholic and conservative-leaning Canton Valais, however, many retirement and care homes do not support it. A cantonal referendum is now set to correct this. A good 75 percent of voters approved the proposal to allow assisted dying in all retirement and care homes in Valais in future. (MUL) Green Liberals campaign for the EEA The unresolved, non-contractual and therefore increasingly cloudy relationship between Switzerland and the European Union (EU) is making alternative solutions sound more attractive. The Green Liberal Party (GLP) pushed in December for Switzerland to enter the European Economic Area (EEA). As a reminder, Switzerland voted very narrowly in 1992 against joining the EEA. The GLP is arguing that the non-EU countries of Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein have done very well out of their EEA membership. Switzerland, on the other hand, is making no headway in renegotiating a framework agreement with the EU and is getting bogged down in the details. Entering the EEA would provide a rapid solution with longterm stability for Switzerland, the GLP argues: EEA entry has already been brokered and covers the entire internal market, including the bilateral aspects. Whether Switzerland would actually be accepted into the EEA is another matter entirely. (MUL) Julia Steinberger Last autumn, activists blocked ten busy streets in Swiss cities. The movement refers to itself as Renovate Switzerland. It is campaigning for more buildings to be renovated so that they save energy. Activists claim this could be implemented quickly and contribute to protecting the climate. The protest was designed to draw attention to that. In Berne, Julia Steinberger, an internationally renowned climate scientist and Professor of Ecological Economy at the University of Lausanne, also put on a high-vis jacket and sat on the motorway. The 48-year-old said, “Our planet is being rendered uninhabitable before our very eyes. We have to do everything to save our future.” When the police arrived, Steinberger glued her hand to the asphalt. She was then roughly dragged away. The rather dangerous blockade lasted half an hour, the commotion afterwards lasted a lot longer. That was the plan, but the scientist’s radical behaviour was harshly criticised by some in political circles. Some said it was an unseemly way for a public official to behave. Even the media asked: aren’t research and activism supposed to be separate? Steinberger’s answer was that science has spent long enough delivering data. The Geneva-born scientist worked on the report published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2022. She realised that all the research results had failed to produce enough action. An alternative approach was now needed to make people realise the urgency of the situation. She feels that “peaceful civil protest” is legitimate. The University of Lausanne did not prevent its lecturer from protesting. Professor Julia Steinberger thus became the serious face of the climate movement in Switzerland. SUSANNE WENGER Swiss Review / January 2023 / No.1 8 Top pick News
9 At the end of last year, the Swiss parliament filled the two seats vacant in the seven-member Federal Council at the same time. The two members of the government who had served the longest, Ueli Maurer from Zurich, representing the conservative SVP, and Berne native Simonetta Sommaruga from the Social Democratic Party (SP), had both announced their retirement. The parliament elected Berne National Councillor and former SVP President Albert Rösti as Maurer’s successor. Sommaruga’s successor is the Council of States member from Jura, Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, former director of education for Canton Jura. This means that the party-political composition of the federal government retains its conservative majority. Traditionally, the largest parties on the left, right and centre of the spectrum are represented in government, to steer the fate of the country together and search for balanced solutions. The concept of a system of majority and opposition is foreign to Switzerland. Both newly elected members were among the candidates put forward by their respective parties, even though the election of Elisabeth Baume-Schneider came as a surprise. As before, there are three women and four men on the Federal Council. German-speaking and urban Switzerland are under-represented Although the by-election was marked by stability overall, there were nonetheless a few peculiarities. The outlying canton of Jura, the youngest member of the Swiss Confederation, is now, to its great joy, represented in government for the first time. The government also now has a Latin majority: three members from Romandy and one from Ticino stand alongside three members from German-speaking Switzerland. Only once in the history of the 175-year-old federal state has there been a similar composition, and then only briefly, between 1917 and 1919. Critical votes demanded that this Latin majority be only temporary this time too. Because 70 percent of the population live in German-speaking Switzerland, this area is now heavily under-represented. The Swiss Constitution actually stipulates that each language region should be appropriately represented. The fact that the larger cities are no longer represented on the Federal Council is also giving rise to hefty debate. The Left loses a key department New SVP Federal Councillor Rösti took over the vacant Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications. This saw the Left lose this key department, previously led by Simonetta Sommaruga, to the conservatives. New SP Federal Councillor Baume-Schneider is in charge of the Department of Justice and Police and is thus responsible for Switzerland’s asylum policies. This department became vacant when the previous incumbent, FDP Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter, moved to the Department of Finance. The remaining federal councillors stayed in their respective ministries. Whether everything will remain exactly the same in the Federal Council will become clear later this year. Following the federal elections in the autumn, an entire government will be elected by the new parliament in December. Depending on how the parties perform – and depending on whether there are any further retirements – there could be further changes in the executive. The increasingly strong green wing has been pushing for its own seat in government for years. (SWE) Two new faces in the Swiss government Albert Rösti (SVP), from Berne, and Elisabeth Baume-Schneider (SP), from Jura, have taken up positions in the Federal Council. The election of the replacement ministers by parliament maintains the existing balance of power in the government. But it has sparked debate over the representation of the regions. Retired: Ueli Maurer (SVP, ZH) retired from the Federal Council in late 2022. The finance minister saw himself as a cautionary saver. Retired: The retirement of Simonetta Sommaruga (SP, BE) in late 2022 came as something of a surprise. She was responsible for climate and energy policies in her capacity as minister for the environment. Appointed: Elisabeth Baume- Schneider (SP, JU) takes Sommaruga’s place in the Federal Council on behalf of the SP. She is minister for justice. Photos: Keystone Appointed: Berne native Albert Rösti from the SVP joined the Federal Council. He is the new environment, transport and energy minister. Swiss Review / January 2023 / No.1 News
MIREILLE GUGGENBÜHLER Water plant manager Michael Baumann stands on the roof of the new facility in Brienz, Canton Berne, and allows his gaze to wander. Below are construction vehicles, behind him the clarification tanks and in front of him, three hundred metres away, are Lake Brienz and Hasli beach. Residents of the Hasli valley come here every summer to swim. Today, there is no-one to be found. Small waves break on the shingle beach; the emerald-green water is otherwise calm – high season has long since ended, and the ships are no longer running. Around a hundred metres from the lake shore, 18 metres deep, purified water from the treatment facility flows into the lake. “The quantity of wastewater that we process here is highest during peak season in the summer,” says Baumann. This is when the neighbouring campsite is occupied, the Ballenberg open-air museum is open and the hotels are fully booked. In winter, on the other hand, it takes longer to clean the waste water. “The microorganisms that purify the water move more slowly in the winter cold – just like people,” explains Baumann. Worms, insects and crabs thriving like never before The water treatment facility at the upper end of Lake Brienz is new, and replaces the previous facility, which dates back 50 years. The new facility is computer-controlled and is monitored by Michael Baumann and his colleagues. Its construction is not quite complete, but it is already operational. The previous facility was also able to break down numerous chemical compounds. However: “Thanks All of a sudden, Lake Brienz was too clean for some The largest mountain lake in Switzerland has seen some ups and downs. Back in 1980, it was “over fertilised” – too high in phosphates. Then, in the space of a few years, it became so clean and free of nutrients that the fish died of hunger. Since then, the lake’s ecosystem has stabilised, and the fish are doing better. Lake Brienz, flanked by the slopes of the Bernese Alps, is probably the cleanest lake in Switzerland today. For a long time, this was not the case. Photos: Danielle Liniger Higher, farther, faster, more beautiful? In search of somewhat unconventional Swiss records This edition: On the shores of the cleanest lake in Switzerland. 10 Report
to the new facility, we can clean wastewater a lot more effectively,” says Baumann. The results are impressive: the water treatment facility is one of the main reasons why Lake Brienz is currently in great health, compared with other Swiss lakes. This large lake on the fringe of the Alps, which was still heavily contaminated with nitrogen during the 1980s, is now the cleanest lake in Switzerland. It has a comparatively intact ecosystem, where animal organisms – crustaceans like water fleas, insect larvae and worms – can thrive particularly well. These organisms then serve as food for the fish. If there are many of them in a body of water, this is a sign that the water is relatively unpolluted. One year ago, the positive biological condition of Lake Brienz was documented in a report commissioned by the Federal Office for the Environment. Fish and fishermen endured hard times The lake’s current good condition is in stark contrast with the bleak years of its past. One of the people most concerned about it was Beat Abegglen. He is a trained fisherman and lives in Iseltwald, a small former fishing village on the south bank of Lake Brienz. In the late 1980s, he built up his fishing business there. Shortly thereafter, however, catches collapsed. “In the mid-90s, fish in their fourth year of life weighed between 150 and 200 grammes. At the turn of the millennium, their average weight was 40 grammes,” says Abegglen. “This loss in weight and a drastic reduction in catch sizes are always a sign that something is wrong with the water.” At the same time as Beat Abegglen was making his observations, experts at the water protection office of Canton Berne determined that the water fleas, or daphnia, had disappeared. Water fleas, which form part of plankton, are chiefly eaten by whitefish. These are the most common species of fish in Lake Brienz. Based on all these observations, Canton Berne commissioned a research project aimed at finding out the reasons behind the fall in catches and the disappearance of the water fleas. The investigations showed that the changes observed were connected with the decrease in nutrients in the lake. The main reason for this decrease in nutrients was the massive reduction in the levels of phosphorous – including from faeces and from detergents and cleaning products – entering the lake. This decrease, according to the research report, is in turn due to the “decades of efforts made in technical water pollution control” – in other words, the good work done by the water treatment facility. For Lake Brienz, which already has naturally low nutrient levels, this success in preventing water pollution also had a downside: “The tiny quanThe new Brienz water treatment facility, managed by Michael Baumann, is largely responsible for the good quality of the lake’s water. Beat Abegglen takes a look back on his difficult years as a fisherman. First, catches collapsed. Since then, he has been landing more fish from the lake again. 11
tities of nutrients hinder the already meagre growth of algae, and reduce food sources for plankton, leading to less food for the whitefish,” the report states. The drop in catch sizes in Lake Brienz led to discussions in fishing circles, but also in politics. A proposal was made to artificially raise the levels of phosphorous entering the water by making treatment facilities purify the water less thoroughly. The canton, however, refused. Deliberately adding dirty water to the lake was environmentally undesirable. Rising temperatures favour food production Because the drop in fish catches was so massive, Beat Abegglen was forced to abandon his job as a fisherman. Today, he runs his fishery as a hobby and works in another industry as his main job. He sells his fish to customers in the region, who can react flexibly to his catches. However, for the past four years, Abegglen’s catches have been increasing again. Fish no longer weigh around 40 grammes – they now weigh 170-180 grammes again. “At the same time, the whitefish and perch are back,” says Beat Abegglen. Theoretically, Abegglen could now make a living from fishing again. He no longer wants to, though: “I am not giving up the security of a fixed income.” As for why the fish are now doing better, Beat Abegglen has an explanation: the water that flows into Lake Brienz from its tributaries is warmer than it was a few years ago. In Abegglen’s view, this is due to global warming. “Glaciers melting used to result in very cold water flowing into Lake Brienz all year round.” Now, the volume of glaciers has shrunk considerably, and less glacier water is flowing into the Aare and the Lütschine, Lake Brienz’s two main tributaries. The rivers are also transporting less debris into the lake. This means that the lake is less cloudy and sunlight can penetrate deeper into the water. The warmth of the water and the fact that sunlight can now reach great depths has an impact on plankton production in the lake. “So, much more food is being produced for the fish,” says Beat Abegglen. An unstable lake for years Whether Lake Brienz’s ecosystem will remain in such good health is hard to predict. “Lake Brienz has always been in an unstable state,” says Beat Abegglen. This is also recorded in Canton Berne’s research report. In addition, even the new treatment facility cannot eliminate all substances from wastewater. As for how this micro-contamination will affect the lake’s ecosystem in the future, no-one knows. However: “In a couple of years, we will definitely be able to filter these substances out in water treatment facilities,” says treatment facility manager Michael Baumann. This situation has done nothing to dispel the fascination with the largest mountain lake in Switzerland. It continues to be a beloved getaway destination – not least due to its unique colour. This year, commercial shipping on Lake Brienz recorded its highest number of visitors in ten years: 496,000 passengers travelled on the lake by boat. This is around 179,000 more guests than in 2013. In contrast to neighbouring Lake Thun, Lake Brienz is primarily a getaway destination for foreign guests. Nonetheless, the hype is never as great as for other lakes, says Beat Abegglen, who even after more than 30 years’ fishing is still fascinated by Lake Brienz: “In late August, you can always see plenty of shooting stars over the lake. There are so many that it makes you feel awestruck and small.” Iseltwald is a picturesque peninsula rising up out of Lake Brienz. During the summer, historic paddle steamers churn through the often emerald-green water of the mountain lake. Photos: Keystone © Swisstopo Swiss Review / January 2023 / No.1 12 Report
13 STÉPHANE HERZOG To sample a CoffeeB, the new biodegradable pod from Migros subsidiary Delica, the first step is to go to a Migros electronic goods store in Geneva. At a sales stand, a saleswoman removes a brown ball from its cardboard packet. The machine created for this innovation – on sale for 169 Swiss francs – produces an espresso with no bitter taste. Not bad! The still-warm used coffee balls have dropped into the capsule collector. Pressing with your fingertip is enough to break through the plant membrane containing the coffee. The coffee grounds spill out into your hand. You start looking for a potted plant to hide the evidence. A coffee ball out to conquer the world This is the whole purpose of the product, sold in Switzerland and France, right under the nose of Nespresso, which has been flooding the planet with its aluminium pods since 1986. Migros claims that it offers the advantages of pod coffee “without the bitter aftertaste of waste pods”, thanks to a protective envelope made from plants and seaweed that means it needs no packaging. CoffeeB balls are manufactured in Birsfelden (BL), although the machines come from China. Migros has promised that the machines’ parts can be repaired or replaced. Jann, 50, has also come to try out the product. The data manager learned about coffee balls when watching TV in Korea. He owns a Nespresso machine, but prefers another brand of pod. He has plenty to choose from – 200 firms around the world make their own pods. Thanks to CoffeeB, Migros is gaining a foothold in the massive Swiss coffee market. The aluminium-free coffee pod taking on Nespresso Migros, the largest retailer in Switzerland, brought out a packaging-free coffee pod in September 2022 – CoffeeB. The sudden arrival of this biodegradable product took the world by storm. But how is Nestlé, number one in the coffee market, reacting? coffeeb.com nespresso.com nestle-nespresso.com Nespresso, which prepares and roasts its coffee in Switzerland, generated 3.2 billion francs in revenue over the first six months of 2022. The giant also manufactures Starbucks pods, the sales of which represent 20 percent of the compatible pods sold worldwide. “Environmental heresy” “It is a shame that the world leader in coffee pods is not innovating and is continuing to use aluminium packaging, which is environmental heresy,” said Philippe Nicolet, former managing director of Ethical Coffee. This Swiss brand took on Nestlé with its own compatible pods, before abandoning its fight with the giant in 2017. Nestlé sees things differently. “The carbon impact of a cup of coffee obtained from another entirely automated machine is 30 percent higher than from the Nespresso system,” replies Jessica Chakhsi, spokeswoman of Nespresso Switzerland. By using the precise quantities of coffee, water and electricity necessary, she says, Nestlé keeps the wastage of these resources to a minimum. “What impacts the environmental footprint of a cup of coffee the most is the coffee manufacturing and final consumption processes,” according to the brand, which runs 3,700 collection points in Switzerland. The majority of the 63 billion aluminium and plastic pods used throughout the world every year are thrown away, according to Fabrice Zumbrunnen, CEO of Migros, at the launch of its “revolutionary” product CoffeeB. In late November, Nespresso responded, announcing that it would be releasing pods made from compostable paper in the spring. No aluminium, no plastic, no waste: the CoffeeB coffee pod is entirely made from plants. The remnants can be composted. Photo: Keystone Swiss Review / January 2023 / No.1 Economy
Chestnuts: Swiss cultural heritage is enjoying a revival Once a basic foodstuff, and now a tourist attraction: sweet chestnuts may no longer be as important as they once were to the Swiss economy, but they are currently enjoying a cultural comeback. EVA HIRSCHI “Hot chestnuts! Get your hot chestnuts here!” comes the familiar cry from the small brown huts in side streets during the cold months, as the scent of charcoal-roasted sweet chestnuts fills the air. Even if this mental image is integral to how we think of winter in Switzerland and we cannot imagine the season without vermicelles, chestnut soup and caramelised chestnuts, only around 100 tonnes of these nuts actually come from Switzerland. As much as 2,500 tonnes are imported, mainly from Italy but also from Portugal, Spain and France. The chestnut nonetheless has a long tradition in Switzerland. Until the 19th century, it was an important part of people’s diets. In the southern Alpine valleys, Ticino and Valais in particular, it was grown and either ground into flour, dried or roasted in a pan. Its high nutritional value and low price earned it a reputation as “the bread of the poor”. The sweet chestnut, brought to Switzerland by the Romans, is one of the oldest crop plants in Europe. The arrival of the potato in the 19th century, however, saw it lose its economic significance. Pale chestnut groves do however still dot the Swiss countryside today. A lot of work to maintain “Hundreds of hectares of groves have already disappeared in Switzerland,” says Patrick Schoeck, Head of Baukultur at the Swiss Heritage Society. Chestnut trees were often cut down to turn the land into pastureland or fields. Some, on the other hand, are allowed to grow wild. This is because chestnut trees need intensive maintenance and a lot of work. “It is often not worth the farmer’s while,” says Schoeck. Several local initiatives were launched in Ticino in the 1980s to avoid losing this cultural heritage entirely and to prevent chestnut Swiss Review / January 2023 / No.1 14 Nature and the environment
groves becoming wild. There was resistance from the general public. Clearing space to prevent chestnut trees merging into the woods was seen as harmful to the environment. “Chestnut trees with their many light areas provide a biotope for completely different flora and fauna than other trees do,” explains Schoeck. “This is important for biodiversity. Chestnut groves are also diversity hotspots; the composition of the diversity is just different.” In addition to the ecological aspect, Mark Bertogliati, curator of the Valle di Muggio Ethnological Museum, also emphasises the cultural value. “In the ‘90s, a process of historical renovation began. Chestnuts had almost slipped into obscurity as cultural heritage in Ticino.” In Valle di Muggio, for example, the museum worked with other local organisations on various initiatives to promote and revive this old tradition as an element of local identity. You can now visit former chestnut-drying houses and there are activities for all the family, from gathering to sorting. Ticino association recognised The association Ticino Associazione dei castanicoltori della Svizzera italiana has also been campaigning for the preservation of chestnut groves since 1999. “We work closely with schools and organise trips to chestnut groves,” says association chairman Giorgio Moretti. Publications, events and scientific collaboration are all part of its work. For example, it supported the federal government’s efforts to catalogue varieties of chestnut in southern Switzerland and carried out DNA analyses to determine varieties. “We found around 50 types,” says Moretti. For its civic commitment, the association was recently awarded the 2022 Schulthess Garden Prize from the Swiss Heritage Society. “We are delighted that our work has been recognised,” says Moretti. Economically, chestnuts are still not very significant in Switzerland. They have, on the other hand, become a tourist attraction: today, especially in the autumn, extensive chestnut woods are a popular destination for long walks. Chestnut festivals are also held in towns and villages in October, like the Autumn and Chestnut Festival in Ascona or the “Fête de la Châtaigne” in Fully, Valais. The fact that some of the chestnuts need to be imported for most of these festivals does not dampen the festive atmosphere. Left: Pale chestnut groves are a thoroughly typical icon of the Ticino cultural landscape, prized for their diversity. Photo: Giorgio Moretti Right: Chestnuts are a Swiss winter staple even in urban areas. Roast chestnuts are sold in many city centres. Vermicelles also remains a popular dessert, in defiance of all the latest trends. Photos: Giorgio Moretti (1) und Keystone (2) Swiss Review / January 2023 / No.1 15
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The longest passenger train in the world 236,000 In late autumn, the canton of Zurich auctioned off the ZH 100 number plate. A symbolic mark of sympathy for people unable to remember numbers? Maybe. A motorist snapped up the plate for the pretty sum of 236,000 Swiss francs – the highest amount ever paid for a Zurich registration. The money went straight into the canton’s ailing coffers. 1,910 The Rhaetian Railway broke the world record for the world’s longest passenger train on 19 October 2022, when a 1,910-metre-long chain of 100 carriages gently rolled around the many bends on the picturesque Alpine stretch from Preda to Alvaneu. A select band of 150 people boarded the train, probably caring little about having to depart 20 minutes late. > revue.link/rhb 5,512 Good health is worth more than just a few silver coins. Daily exercise helps – and costs nothing. The number of steps that we walk every day is a good indicator of how much we invest in our own health, 7,500 steps constituting a decent yardstick. On average, no one walks as much as that in Western industrial countries. The Swiss languish in mid-table, clocking 5,512 steps a day. Driving is evidently much easier than walking – with or without fancy Zurich number plates. FIGURES COMPILED BY MARC LETTAU “Swiss Review”, the magazine for the Swiss Abroad, is in its 49th year of publication and is published six times a year in German, French, English and Spanish in 13 regional editions. It has a total circulation of 431,000, including 253,000 electronic copies. “Swiss Review”’s regional news appears four times a year. The ordering parties are fully responsible for the content of advertisements and promotional inserts. This content does not necessarily represent the opinion of either the editorial office or the publisher. All Swiss Abroad who are registered with a Swiss representation receive the magazine free of charge. Anyone else can subscribe for an annual fee (Switzerland: CHF 30 / abroad: CHF 50). ONLINE EDITION www.revue.ch EDI TORS Marc Lettau, Editor-in-Chief (MUL) Stéphane Herzog (SH) Theodora Peter (TP) Susanne Wenger (SWE) Paolo Bezzola (PB, FDFA representative) FDFA OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS The editorial responsibility for the “Notes from the Federal Palace” section is assumed by the Consular Directorate, Innovation and Partnerships, Effinger- strasse 27, 3003 Berne, Switzerland. kdip@eda.admin.ch | www.fdfa.admin.ch EDI TORI AL ASSISTANT Sandra Krebs (KS) TRANSL AT ION SwissGlobal Language Services AG, Baden L AYOUT Joseph Haas, Zürich PRINT Vogt-Schild Druck AG, Derendingen PUBL ISHER The “Swiss Review” is published by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA). The postal address of the publisher, the editorial office and advertising department is: Organisation of the Swiss Abroad, Alpenstrasse 26, 3006 Berne. revue@swisscommunity.org Phone: +41 31 356 61 10 Bank details: CH97 0079 0016 1294 4609 8 / KBBECH22 COPY DEADLINE FOR THIS EDITION 28 November 2022 CHANGES TO DEL IVERY Please advise your local embassy or consulate. The editorial team cannot access your address and administrative data. Thank you. 999.9 Talking of money: Switzerland’s federal mint and reliable source of legal-tender coins, Swissmint, also produces commemorative coins. Starting with the special edition dedicated to Mani Matter (1936–1972), the fineness of its special-issue silver coins will now increase from 835 to 999.9. The new 20-franc silver coin honouring the Bernese singer-songwriter was available in a presentation case for the price of almost 80 francs – and is now sold out. > revue.link/swissmint 100 Every clean river consists of 100 per cent water. But river water comes from different sources. For example, the River Aare should be made up of 55 per cent melted snow, 32 per cent rain, and 13 per cent glacier ice – but this is contingent on Switzerland’s winters being 100 per cent snowy and icy. Swiss Review / January 2023 / No.1 17 Switzerland in figures Imprint
INTERVIEW: SUSANNE WENGER Swiss Review: Michael Hermann, the left-leaning Green Party made gains in the 2019 Swiss parliamentary elections, and the Green Liberals gained ground as well. Two years later, the people rejected the C02 Law, which was supposed to be a step forward in environmental politics. What happened here? Michael Hermann: It’s contradictory. First of all, there was a large green wave in voting, a historic shift in the balance of power in Switzerland. Then, under 50 per cent of people voted in favour of a CO₂ law that was not even particularly strict. Various factors led to the green wave having a smaller impact on policy than one might have thought. On the one hand, the climate and the environment are right at the top of the list of sources of concern for the population. On the other hand, as the law would have resulted in petrol and flying becoming more expensive, many people felt more attached to their wallet than to working together to save the environment. Another fact is that even in 2019, only a minority voted green. The green parties nonetheless won 21 percent of votes between them. The Green Party won more additional seats in the National Council than any party had ever done before. Yes, the Greens were outstanding in the way they mobilised. They were visible and active. However, to make an actual change to climate policy, you need to form broad alliances in the Swiss parliament, which is largely conservative. These alliances have only come about under the impetus of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which had ramifications for the Swiss energy supply. All of a sudden, people were talking less about the global climate and more about keeping warm in winter and having enough power to run their homes and their businesses. This accelerated the energy transition in record time, whereas the political mills in Switzerland grind slowly. What became of the environmental and women’s vote in Switzerland Parliamentary elections take place in Switzerland on 23 October. The last federal elections, in 2019, saw a green wave and shift to the left. At the same time, more women than ever were elected. What impact has all this had? We took stock with political scientist Michael Hermann at the onset of the 2023 election year. Greens and the centre-right, and previously sceptical homeowners became fans of photovoltaic power. The reality of the Ukraine war has thus almost set more in motion than the green wave at the 2019 elections. Your institute compiles election barometers on behalf of Swiss radio and television. One year before the 2023 elections, you observed that the green wave was losing momentum. The Greens are having a hard time getting their message across. Their central theme of the climate and environment has become even more important since 2019, especially in the wake of the 2022 heatwave in Switzerland. However, the theme is no longer associated exclusively with the Greens, and the focus has shifted. Now, even power station people and the industrial sector are talking about renewable energies. It is more about securing Switzerland’s energy supply than about what the Greens are seeking: a resource-friendly lifestyle. The 2019 elections took place after a period of economic prosperity; now we are in the midst of a crisis. Themes that are seen as idealistic, such as those promoted by the Greens, are getting less traction. In 2019, more women were elected to parliament than at any point since women were granted the right to vote in 1971. The percentage of women in the larger parliamentary chamber, the National Council, rose to above 40 percent. Has this also affected the policies being implemented? Yes, it has. The female vote in 2019 was also aimed to an extent at fighting the political stereotype of the You are referring to the solar offensive including funding for hydroelectric power that was approved by the Swiss parliament in autumn 2022 and came into effect straight afterwards. Photovoltaics was long considered an alternative green fad in Switzerland, a soft technology. Now, solar energy is seen as a potential solution for making the country more energy-independent. It has become the vision for how Switzerland wants to shape the future of its energy sector. An alliance formed that included The Swiss Review / January 2023 / No.1 18 Politics
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