What would change? What arguments do supporters and opponents put forward?
On September 22, 2024, Swiss voters will decide on the popular initiative “For the future of our nature and landscape (biodiversity initiative)”. A majority of the people and the cantons are required for the initiative to be accepted.
The aim of the template
The biodiversity initiative aims to enshrine the protection of the foundations of life in Switzerland in the constitution. The initiators believe that the measures taken to date to protect biodiversity do not go far enough. Many habitats have been lost due to over-intensive use, development and fragmentation. With the initiative, they want to provide additional protection for nature, the landscape and the built cultural heritage.
This is new
If the biodiversity initiative is approved, more money and areas will be made available for the protection of plants and animals. The text of the initiative does not specify any specific amounts or areas.
The initiative also contains a regulation for areas that are not included in any inventory: nature, diverse landscapes and beautiful townscapes should also be protected outside of protected areas.
The federal government would have to designate protected objects of national significance; the cantons would have to designate those of cantonal importance. For significant interventions in protected objects, there would have to be overriding interests of national or cantonal importance. Cantons and municipalities should, for example, take greater account of the protection of the landscape and the townscape when approving buildings.
Three arguments in favor
- A diverse natural environment provides clean water, fertile soil, pollination and healthy food. In addition, an intact natural environment helps combat climate change: moors and forests store CO₂. Trees and bodies of water provide cooling.
- The initiative does not conflict with the concerns of agriculture, tourism and energy supply: protection and use go hand in hand.
- Diverse landscapes, rich nature and characteristic townscapes characterise the image of Switzerland. They increase our wellbeing, promote our health and are tourist attractions.
Three arguments against
- The initiative is unbalanced and too rigid. It introduces regulations that hinder economic and settlement development.
- The additional protection required restricts agriculture and the expansion of renewable energies and endangers infrastructure such as railway lines, roads and power lines.
- The federal government and the cantons have long been protecting nature, townscapes and landscapes effectively.
Voting recommendations
The Federal Council and Parliament recommend that the popular initiative be rejected. The National Council has rejected it with 101 votes to 72 with 19 abstentions. The Council of States voted 32 to 12 (no abstentions) against the initiative. The drafting of an indirect counter-proposal to the initiative failed in Parliament due to resistance from the small chamber.
