The initiative calls for: The initiative “For a healthy climate” (glacier initiative) requires that from 2050 Switzerland should not emit more greenhouse gases than natural and technical CO₂ storage facilities can absorb. From this point in time, no fossil combustibles or fuels (oil, gas, petrol or diesel) should be allowed to be placed on the market in Switzerland. Exceptions are possible for applications for which there are no technical alternatives.
The Federal Council proposes: The initiative goes too far for him. He proposes a direct counter-proposal to Parliament. This also envisages net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050. However, the Federal Council waived a fundamental ban on fossil fuels. He also wants the special situation of the mountain and peripheral areas to be taken into account in addition to the social acceptability of climate policy. Because these are less accessible by public transport than more urban areas.
The counter-proposal also stipulates in a new constitutional article that national security must not be adversely affected: the army, police and rescue services should be able to fall back on fossil fuels if necessary.
This is the current status: The National Council is the first to debate the glacier initiative. His pre-advisory commission recommends rejection, but decided by 15 votes to 9 with 1 abstention to present an indirect counter-proposal to the request by the 2022 summer session. This Commission initiative wants to put the core concerns of the Glacier Initiative into concrete terms in the CO₂ Act. According to the reasoning, the way of revising the law can be implemented more quickly than that of revising the constitution.
The indirect counter-proposal also has the goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, but does not formulate a ban on fossil fuels. To this end, it should be enshrined in law that the consumption of fossil fuels and combustibles should be reduced as far as this is technically possible and economically viable.