Switzerland needs to revise climate target law, says government

GENEVA, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Swiss government said Friday it needs to revise its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions law if it is to keep to the Paris climate agreement goal of cutting emissions by half by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

The governing Federal Council said it had adopted a notice for the revised CO2 law that will be submitted for the attention of the Swiss parliament bringing the Alpine nation more into line with the European Union.

It states that emissions generated in Switzerland should be cut by at least 30 percent by 2030, with a maximum of 20 percent of the reduction due to measures taken abroad, Swissinfo, the website of the national broadcaster reported.

"In this way, Switzerland is increasing its contribution to limiting global warming to less than two degrees, or even to a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius," read a government statement.

Environment Minister Doris Leuthard told journalists that doing nothing is not an option due to Swiss glaciers melting at an alarming pace.

She said the highest concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere to date was recorded this year.

Because of traffic, which causes the most CO2 emissions, emissions should be lowered by using renewable fuels.

The emission regulations for new vehicles are to be tightened in stages, along the lines of European Union rules.

The Swiss parliament will also be asked to approve a deal that links Swiss and European Union emissions trading systems.

This will allow Swiss companies to benefit from the same conditions as EU competitors, the Federal Council said.

New measures include the inclusion of the agricultural sector in the emissions reduction program and a provision for airlines and fossil fuel plants to take part in the emissions trading system.

In 1990 Switzerland's greenhouse gas emissions amounted to 53.7 million tonnes of CO2eq (CO2 plus methane emissions, synthetic gases and nitrous oxide converted into CO2 equivalents).

The proposal is for Switzerland is to reduce its domestic emissions by around 6.6 million tonnes of CO2eq between 2021 and 2030 and by 8.5 million tonnes abroad, said Swissinfo. Enditem