Switzerland commits to 20 pct emissions cut by 2020

Yahoo News 26 Aug 09;

GENEVA (AFP) – The Swiss government on Wednesday committed to cut its carbon emissions by at least 20 percent from its 1990 levels by 2020, but green groups said the target was too modest.

The government's commitment also fell short of targets sought by a citizens' initiative which wants Switzerland to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30 percent by 2020, compared to 1990 levels.

Under the Swiss constitution, citizens can force a national referendum on an issue if they manage to collect at least 100,000 signatures for the initiative.

But the government said the commitment sought by the initiative "would not leave sufficient flexibility," as it called for the initiative to be rejected.

The government however noted that since the reduction levels must be agreed on by industrialised countries, it was prepared to raise its target to 30 percent.

"This depends anyway on the results of the United Nations conference on climate which will be held in December 2009 at Copenhagen," added the government in a statement.

Alexander Hauri, who leads Greenpeace Switzerland's climate campaign said the group "deplores the decision" by the Swiss government.

Such targets were "unacceptable" for an industrialised country.

"By adopting such weak climate targets, the Swiss government ignores scientific facts and refuses to take its responsibilities in the struggle against climate change," he added.

The Copenhagen conference is meant to seal a new international accord on fighting climate change after the Kyoto Protocol's requirements expire in 2012.

Rich economies are being pressed to cut their own emissions by 25-40 percent by 2020 compared with 1990 levels and help poorer nations cope with the impacts of climate change.

The vision is to set curbs on emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases beyond 2012, with intermediate targets for 2020 that would be ratcheted up all the way to 2050.

Swiss cabinet proposes 20-30 percent CO2 cut by 2020
Reuters 27 Aug 09;

ZURICH (Reuters) - The Swiss government proposed on Wednesday a cut in carbon dioxide emissions of 20 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels, or a cut of up to 30 percent if a global climate pact is agreed in Copenhagen later this year.

The Swiss cabinet said in a statement it had handed the plans that will amend a law governing emissions up to 2012 to parliament for approval, but would make further changes if the Copenhagen meeting agrees a deal to succeed the Kyoto Protocol.

A U.N. panel of climate experts called in 2007 for cuts of between 25 and 40 percent by 2020 to avoid the worst of global warming such as more droughts, heatwaves, species extinctions and rising seas.

Developing nations led by China and India want industrialized countries to cut emissions by at least 40 percent -- saying that evidence of climate change is getting worse -- as the price for the poor to start acting to curb rising emissions.

The Swiss proposal is in line with that proposed by the European Union -- of which it is not a member -- and larger than the average cuts planned by industrialized nations of between 10 and 14 percent.

But it does not go as far as the demands of a public referendum proposal for a cut of at least 30 percent.

The Swiss government is proposing a range of measures to help cut emissions, including extra taxes on fuel, support for building insulation and renewable energy, tighter emission rules for new cars and improvement of its emissions trading system.

(Reporting by Emma Thomasson, editing by Tim Pearce)