Coverage of Switzerland’s adaptation to new realities and opportunities posed by melting glaciers and permafrost, as well as what innovation looks like when it comes to reducing CO2 emissions.
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Switzerland’s melting glaciers reveal ancient secrets
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As Switzerland’s glaciers shrink, they are revealing an unexpected wealth of archaeological treasures.
Fuel threat lingers beneath buried Swiss mountain village
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Experts have identified a new environmental threat in Blatten, where large amounts of heating oil and fuel are believed to be buried beneath debris from last year’s glacier collapse.
Why Alpine debris flows are becoming more intense and unpredictable
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Swissinfo spoke to Markus Stoffel, head of the new Chair of Mountain Hazard Research at the University of Geneva, about how the climate crisis is reshaping debris flows and other Alpine hazards.
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Local officials and experts stress that the Weisshorn glacier is being closely monitored and poses no immediate threat to residents.
Switzerland is water-rich. So why are 151 towns rationing it?
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Switzerland has more water than it uses. Yet this summer, at least 151 municipalities have banned residents from filling pools or watering gardens.
Swiss glaciers have already used up their winter reserves
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Swiss glaciers are set to exhaust their winter reserves within days – an unusually early milestone driven not only by the current heatwave but also by months of unfavourable conditions.
Swiss glacier shows instability near disaster‑hit Blatten
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Almost a year after a glacier collapse destroyed the Swiss mountain village of Blatten, another ice giant in the same Alpine valley threatens to partially collapse.
Switzerland’s bet on carbon offsets shows little payoff so far
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After the Paris Agreement, Switzerland set out to be a pioneer of international carbon offsetting. But so far it has delivered less than 1% of the emissions cuts it promised to buy abroad by 2030.
From diesel to solar: a Swiss project for the streets of Dakar
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A Swiss-Senegalese project aims to convert Dakar’s city buses from diesel to solar – but it has faced years of delay gaining approval.
Better air, same poverty: the Peruvian families behind Switzerland’s carbon offsets
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Nearly six years after Switzerland launched a carbon offset programme in the Andes, Swissinfo finds its beneficiaries healthier, but still barely getting by.
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Despite heatwaves and wildfires across Europe, most Swiss consumers say climate concerns do not influence their spending or investment decisions.
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An initiative by an environmental NGO would tax every flight leaving Switzerland and hand most of the money back as vouchers for train travel.
Nuclear power in Switzerland: ‘The most sensible policy is to keep the existing plants running’
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The Swiss government and parliament want the ban on new plants in Switzerland to be lifted. The final say will rest with the people but what is the current status of the industry?
Making synthetic fuels: a Swiss scientist’s bid to decarbonise cars and planes
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A Swiss chemical engineer is developing a green fuel for combustion engines – a synthetic “drop-in” fuel that works with existing engines and infrastructure.
Solar energy from railways shows first positive results in Switzerland
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The world’s first removable solar power plant, installed alongside a railway line, is now operational in Switzerland. It is attracting interest in Italy, France and Asia.
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This explainer shows where Swiss capital flows into fossil fuels, how authorities monitor those investments, and why their heavy carbon footprint abroad has become a political flashpoint.
Switzerland’s emissions gap is larger than officially stated
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Switzerland’s climate emissions gap is far larger than officially reported, with SRF research showing authorities underestimated it by up to a third.
Switzerland’s bet on carbon offsets shows little payoff so far
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After the Paris Agreement, Switzerland set out to be a pioneer of international carbon offsetting. But so far it has delivered less than 1% of the emissions cuts it promised to buy abroad by 2030.
Fuel threat lingers beneath buried Swiss mountain village
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Experts have identified a new environmental threat in Blatten, where large amounts of heating oil and fuel are believed to be buried beneath debris from last year’s glacier collapse.
Switzerland’s worst-case climate scenario now more likely, say scientists
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Research from Switzerland and Germany suggests the world is on track for more warming than official projections assume – with major implications for climate planning.
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Global warming could mean exotic fruits will also become established in Switzerland. An agricultural scientist’s predictions.
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This year’s summer was the hottest and driest in Switzerland since measurements began in 1864. Only one national record remained unbroken.
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Record heat and drought hit Switzerland hard. Here’s how the historic summer affected communities, farming, business and nature.
More trees to combat heat islands: the 3-30-300 rule for more liveable cities
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Heat islands are overheating cities. Yet only 13.5% of Europeans live in neighbourhoods with sufficient trees and green spaces.
Why Switzerland is still not ready to face heatwaves
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Several Swiss cities have strengthened their measures against heatwaves. However, a nationwide strategy is still lacking.
From grey skies to heatwaves: climate drives Swiss abroad
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Swiss people have long moved abroad to escape grey winters. Now, increasingly severe heatwaves are giving some a new reason to leave.
Swiss Alpine solar farms struggle to deliver on their promise
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Switzerland fast-tracked Alpine solar parks to boost winter power. Four years on, only a handful are being built and electricity targets are slipping.
Cyber flaws in solar systems pose risks to Swiss power grid
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Switzerland’s solar boom is powering the energy transition, but cybersecurity experts warn that Chinese components could expose the electricity grid to disruption.
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Six months into the US-Iran war, Switzerland has avoided fuel shortages but faces sharply higher energy prices and growing concerns over winter gas supplies.
Nuclear power in Switzerland: ‘The most sensible policy is to keep the existing plants running’
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The Swiss government and parliament want the ban on new plants in Switzerland to be lifted. The final say will rest with the people but what is the current status of the industry?
Making synthetic fuels: a Swiss scientist’s bid to decarbonise cars and planes
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A Swiss chemical engineer is developing a green fuel for combustion engines – a synthetic “drop-in” fuel that works with existing engines and infrastructure.
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This explainer shows where Swiss capital flows into fossil fuels, how authorities monitor those investments, and why their heavy carbon footprint abroad has become a political flashpoint.
Charts show fossil fuel reliance in Switzerland and worldwide
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Despite climate commitments and the expansion of renewable energy, Switzerland – like the rest of the world – remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels.
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The energy crisis triggered by the conflict in the Middle East has highlighted the extent to which Switzerland continues to rely on oil and natural gas. An explainer.
Why Switzerland’s fuel stockpiles are for Swiss use only
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In the event of fuel and heating oil shortages, Switzerland can draw on compulsory stockpiles. It does not have to share these with other countries.
Colombia summit marks ‘historic’ step toward phase-out of fossil fuels
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Representatives from nearly 60 countries met in Colombia to discuss a global shift away from fossil fuels, a move Switzerland’s environment ambassador described as a positive step forward.
Switzerland’s bet on carbon offsets shows little payoff so far
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After the Paris Agreement, Switzerland set out to be a pioneer of international carbon offsetting. But so far it has delivered less than 1% of the emissions cuts it promised to buy abroad by 2030.
From diesel to solar: a Swiss project for the streets of Dakar
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A Swiss-Senegalese project aims to convert Dakar’s city buses from diesel to solar – but it has faced years of delay gaining approval.
Better air, same poverty: the Peruvian families behind Switzerland’s carbon offsets
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Nearly six years after Switzerland launched a carbon offset programme in the Andes, Swissinfo finds its beneficiaries healthier, but still barely getting by.
Swiss Alpine solar farms struggle to deliver on their promise
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Switzerland fast-tracked Alpine solar parks to boost winter power. Four years on, only a handful are being built and electricity targets are slipping.
Fuel threat lingers beneath buried Swiss mountain village
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Experts have identified a new environmental threat in Blatten, where large amounts of heating oil and fuel are believed to be buried beneath debris from last year’s glacier collapse.
Switzerland’s worst-case climate scenario now more likely, say scientists
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Research from Switzerland and Germany suggests the world is on track for more warming than official projections assume – with major implications for climate planning.
Cyber flaws in solar systems pose risks to Swiss power grid
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Switzerland’s solar boom is powering the energy transition, but cybersecurity experts warn that Chinese components could expose the electricity grid to disruption.
Why ocean warming matters for landlocked countries such as Switzerland
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The seas have never been this warm since records began. Rising ocean temperatures also affect life in land-locked countries.
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Global warming could mean exotic fruits will also become established in Switzerland. An agricultural scientist’s predictions.
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This year’s summer was the hottest and driest in Switzerland since measurements began in 1864. Only one national record remained unbroken.
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Record heat and drought hit Switzerland hard. Here’s how the historic summer affected communities, farming, business and nature.
How heatwaves are changing Switzerland’s major lakes
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The waters of Lake Geneva and other lakes reached record temperatures, with consequences for ecosystems and leisure activities.
More trees to combat heat islands: the 3-30-300 rule for more liveable cities
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Heat islands are overheating cities. Yet only 13.5% of Europeans live in neighbourhoods with sufficient trees and green spaces.
Why Switzerland is still not ready to face heatwaves
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Several Swiss cities have strengthened their measures against heatwaves. However, a nationwide strategy is still lacking.
From grey skies to heatwaves: climate drives Swiss abroad
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Swiss people have long moved abroad to escape grey winters. Now, increasingly severe heatwaves are giving some a new reason to leave.
‘Slow Water’: Swiss farmers prepare for climate crisis
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Swiss farmers face growing pressure from drought and heavy rainfall. In Lucerne, one farmer is testing ways to retain water and secure livestock feed.
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This year’s exceptional drought is causing irreversible damage to Swiss forests. But trees’ health is being undermined by more than just the lack of rainfall.
Switzerland has opted out of EU Copernicus scheme – what it means
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Bern has rejected participation in the EU’s Copernicus programme, despite growing demand for climate and environmental data.
Truth or tale: Is Switzerland ‘doing nothing’ to prepare for climate change?
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Is Switzerland adequately preparing for the effects of climate change, or is it lagging behind other countries? We went looking for answers.
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Switzerland pioneered the artificial modification of clouds, known as cloud seeding, which many countries now practise. However, recent experiments to reduce hail damage have not produced the desired results.
Swiss farmers prepare for droughts with major irrigation project
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Drought is putting Swiss farmers under pressure, prompting authorities to invest in a 90km irrigation network serving nearly 200 farms.
Why Alpine debris flows are becoming more intense and unpredictable
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Swissinfo spoke to Markus Stoffel, head of the new Chair of Mountain Hazard Research at the University of Geneva, about how the climate crisis is reshaping debris flows and other Alpine hazards.
This content was published on
Local officials and experts stress that the Weisshorn glacier is being closely monitored and poses no immediate threat to residents.
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Six months into the US-Iran war, Switzerland has avoided fuel shortages but faces sharply higher energy prices and growing concerns over winter gas supplies.
How much water is left under Switzerland? Nobody can say yet
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At a vital spring in canton Fribourg, a record drought revealed a reassuring amount of water, but a shifting supply picture.
Drought in Switzerland: Europe’s ‘water tower’ runs dry
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Rivers reduced to trickles, scorched landscapes and forests taking on autumn colours weeks ahead of schedule: such scenes highlight the severity of a drought unmatched in Switzerland for decades.
In water-loving Switzerland, about 50 people drown every year
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Summer activities on Switzerland’s lakes and rivers are hugely popular, but their dangers are sometimes underestimated. Every year, about 50 drownings are recorded.
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Despite heatwaves and wildfires across Europe, most Swiss consumers say climate concerns do not influence their spending or investment decisions.
Switzerland is water-rich. So why are 151 towns rationing it?
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Switzerland has more water than it uses. Yet this summer, at least 151 municipalities have banned residents from filling pools or watering gardens.
