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The initiative for a climate fund was rejected in a popular vote on March 8. <\/p>\n
Keystone \/ Peter Klaunzer <\/p>\n
Climate change is one of the main concerns of the Swiss population. However, most citizens don\u2019t want to invest more money in the ecological transition, as shown by their rejection of the climate fund initiative on Sunday. Why is this?\n<\/p>\n
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March 8, 2026 – 18:00\n<\/p>\n
The outcome at the ballot box was clear: the Swiss do not want to increase public climate funding, or at least not in the form advocated by left-wing or green parties. On Sunday 71% of voters rejected the initiative<\/a> calling for up to 1% of gross domestic product to be invested annually in measures to protect the climate and nature.<\/p>\n In the current context it is difficult to achieve consensus around a proposal that entails costs but which nobody knows how to finance, said Clo\u00e9 Jans, political scientist at the gfs.bern institute. \u201cPeople are more cautious today,\u201d she told Swissinfo.<\/p>\n \n \u201cMany people feared that they would have to pay out of their own pockets, for example through an increase in VAT.\u201d <\/p>\n Clo\u00e9 Jans, political scientist <\/p>\n Switzerland is currently debating the financing of the 13th monthly pension payment, approved by popular vote in 2024<\/a>, and the increase in military spending. The initiative for a climate fund is the third proposal that lacked a precise definition of where the funds would come from, Jans said. \u201cMany people feared they would have to pay out of their own pockets, for example through an increase in VAT.\u201d<\/p>\n Lena Maria Schaffer, professor of political science at the University of Lucerne, also says that people are less inclined to accept ideas that involve additional costs or changes in their lifestyle. <\/p>\n \u201cWe see this in international pollsExternal link<\/a>: 89% of people say governments need to do more to combat climate change, but when action touches the individual sphere, people are much more hesitant,\u201d she told Swissinfo.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s not only the specifics of the initiative and the financial aspects that played a role at the ballot box. At the moment there are issues considered more important than climate, such as the economic situation, the rising cost of living and security, says Jans. \u201cClimate is not the main priority.\u201d<\/p>\n >> The Swiss electorate has spoken out on numerous climate-related issues. Here are the main ones:<\/p>\n \n More<\/p>\n More <\/p>\n Climate adaptation\n <\/p>\n Ten years of Swiss climate votes since the Paris Agreement <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Nov 21, 2025 <\/p>\n From Paris to the polls: in Switzerland, direct democracy means that climate policy is a public \u2013 and recurring \u2013 issue. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more: Ten years of Swiss climate votes since the Paris Agreement Priorities are elsewhere<\/p>\n Climate is still very much in the public perception, Jans notes. According to the Worry BarometerExternal link<\/a> published at the end of 2025, environmental protection and climate change are in second place among the concerns of the Swiss population. In first place are healthcare costs and rising health insurance premiums.<\/p>\n Climate is among the main concerns, but currently priorities are elsewhere, she says. \u201cWe\u2019re in a crisis context, both economically and geopolitically, with the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.\u201d<\/p>\n Compared to a few years ago, we live in a different world today, says Jans. This can also be seen in other countries, for example in the United States, where the Trump administration has dismantled the climate policy of its predecessor and withdrawn the country from the Paris Climate Agreement.<\/p>\n For now, there is no indication that the US climate turnaround has influenced electoral behaviour in Switzerland, Jans says. \u201cHowever, it\u2019s clear that today it\u2019s more acceptable to relegate climate to the background.\u201d<\/p>\n \n More<\/p>\n More <\/p>\n Climate solutions\n <\/p>\n Swiss think it\u2019s vital that other people reduce CO2 emissions <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Aug 3, 2021 <\/p>\n A majority of Swiss believe it\u2019s important to avoid emissions in their everyday lives, although fewer are likely to back up their views with action. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more: Swiss think it\u2019s vital that other people reduce CO2 emissions Decline in interest<\/p>\n The decline in interest in the climate issue was also evident in the run-up to Sunday\u2019s vote. The climate fund initiative had a marginal presence in the public debate, which was dominated instead by the proposal to reduce the radio and television fee and the reform of individual taxation.<\/p>\n This is also confirmed by an analysis of the media coverage devoted to the issues on the ballot: the SBC licence fee initiative was the focus of 416 articles and television reports, compared to 229 on individual taxation and 124 on the climate initiative. The data come from media monitoring by f\u00f6g, the Institute for Research on Public Opinion and Society at the University of Zurich, carried out between December 15 and February 15.<\/p>\n The funds invested in election campaigns also reflect the loss of popularity of climate change compared to issues perceived as more concrete and with immediate effects on the wallet. Campaigns for and against the climate initiative mobilised a total of around CHF2.3 million ($3 million), less than half of the financial means used for the SBC initiative (around CHF5.9 million).<\/p>\n For Clo\u00e9 Jans, \u201cclimate is no longer as seductive as it was in 2019\u201d. In that year, a strong popular mobilisation contributed to the Green Party\u2019s success in federal elections. The climate, she explains, has entered the political agenda thanks to strong pressure from the public and civil society. \u201cAt the moment, this pressure no longer exists.\u201d<\/p>\n Many people have the impression that enough has already been done for climate protection and that the existing instruments of Swiss climate policy are sufficient, Lukas Golder, also a political scientist at gfs.berne, told Swiss public broadcaster SRF.<\/p>\n >> Progress in reducing emissions in some sectors in Switzerland is too slow, according to an international report:<\/p>\n \n More<\/p>\n More <\/p>\n Climate adaptation\n <\/p>\n Switzerland climbs global climate ranking but progress is slow <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Nov 18, 2025 <\/p>\n Switzerland has climbed seven places in an international climate ranking, but analysts say the country is still failing to cut emissions fast enough at home. <\/p>\n![\"smoke](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/642334335_highres.jpg\")
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