Swiss Referendum: 68% of Citizens Support a Law Encouraging Use of Energy from Renewable Sources
Earlier, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) condemned the Swiss Confederation for its “lack of initiatives to combat climate change and global warming”
68.7% of Swiss people voted in a popular referendum on Sunday, June 9, in favor of the so-called “electricity law” aimed at guaranteeing “reliable supply of electricity based on renewable energy sources.” The law is essentially a set of measures, drafted at the end of 2023 by the Swiss parliament, to increase the share of electricity, generated from renewable sources, among the electricity used in the Alpine country, and subsequently reduce dependence on other energy exporting countries during the winter months.
The new law, supported by some prominent non-governmental organizations (NGOs), such as WWF and Greenpeace, was put to a referendum because opposition parties argued that “it would be too expensive.” A recent poll in late May predicted 73% support for the law, but that estimate has not been confirmed by the polls. The vote came in a special context, weeks after Switzerland was condemned by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in early April for its “lack of initiatives to combat climate change and global warming.”
