Biodiversity Initiative: Need for Action in Switzerland

Over 100 researchers have expressed concern in a statement about the “disturbing state of biodiversity in Switzerland.”

Swift and effective measures should be taken to secure and strengthen its protection and promotion. The public will vote on the Biodiversity Initiative on 22 September.

Despite isolated successes, the efforts and measures taken so far by the various actors have not been sufficient to initiate the urgently needed change of course, according to the statement published on Sunday. “To protect the foundations of life, biodiversity and the quality of habitats must be sustainably secured and promoted.”

Many Species and Habitats Threatened

Among the 102 signatories of the statement are researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL). The researchers specialising in biodiversity observe that the living conditions of many species and habitats in Switzerland continue to deteriorate.

“More than a third of species and over half of habitat types are threatened,” the statement further notes. Among the main factors affecting biodiversity are micropollutants, habitat loss, and the impacts of climate change.

There is a pressing need for action across all habitats and natural spaces — in waterways, agricultural land, forests and settlements — and thus across a wide variety of living, economic and policy areas. More ecologically valuable and permanently protected areas, fewer harmful inputs and strengthened climate protection measures are necessary to bring about a comprehensive reversal of the trend.

Environmental organizations have long been demanding, without success, the elimination of subsidies harmful to biodiversity. This would easily free up considerable sums that could be redirected toward biodiversity protection. The Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL has identified 160 such harmful subsidies listed. Together they amount to 40 billion Swiss francs per year.

Participatory campaign: Submit a petition to your municipality for a tax remission on federal and cantonal taxes, citing the catastrophic policy of Federal Councillor Albert Rösti (SVP) in light of the recently approved wolf culls in Switzerland. You can download the template letter here: https://wildbeimwild.com/ein-appell-fuer-eine-veraenderung-in-der-schweiz/