There has never been so much talk about biodiversity in Switzerland, with all kinds of arguments, thanks to the “Biodiversity Initiative” of 22 September 2024.
What is a popular initiative in Switzerland? It’s a proposal to change the constitution that is supported by 100,000 eligible people. This change can be made to any topic.
More details: https://www.ch.ch/en/political-system/political-rights/initiatives/what-is-a-federal-popular-initiative#pour-en-savoir-plus
This article aims to contribute to the debates around this vote. Nothing more. I invite everyone to react, whatever their position 😊.
For information on the initiative itself, ➡️ point 1. To understand biodiversity in Switzerland ➡️ point 2. Regarding biodiversity in the Swiss economy ➡️ point 3. So, what to do? ➡️ point 4. To go further ➡️ point 5.
1. The Biodiversity Initiative
Do you see it, the ragie sycophante? (Les Bioles, Ferreyres, Vaud, Suisse, 2008) ©BioPerf.biz
What is the initiative aiming at?
It aims at making the Confederation (Swiss Government) and the cantons (Swiss regional States) more responsible for the conservation of biodiversity, by specifying that actions have to be taken, through amendments to the Constitution[1]. These actions must increase conservation-based areas.
To view the arguments of the coalition in favour of the initiative: https://www.initiative-biodiversite.ch/
To consult the coalition’s arguments against the initiative: https://initiativebiodiversite-non.ch/
What does the initiative imply?
The loss of biodiversity in Switzerland does not stop, despite the legal obligation to conserve it[2]. The initiators therefore believe that additional measures are necessary. They also believe that the most effective way to combat this loss is to allocate more areas to conservation (hereafter conservation-oriented areas). Other factors of loss such as pollution, global warming or invasive species are not addressed by this initiative.
What other themes does this initiative include?
One of the changes also calls for preserving “the physiognomy of the localities” and “historic sites”. In addition, the “preservation of landscapes” is also mentioned.
What does the initiative not specify?
It does not specify the size, number and location of these additional conservation-oriented areas, nor the necessary funding. In addition, it leaves open the resolution of conflicts of use on these new surfaces, e.g. in case of photovoltaic panels installation. Finally, the type of management to be applied to these conservation-oriented areas is not specified, allowing great flexibility depending on the situation.
Who will have to specify the points left open?
This task will mainly fall to the Swiss Parliament[3], by defining an implementing law. Its implementation will be managed by the cantonal governments. The decision in the event of conflicts of use will be dealt with by the Federal Supreme Court, after an initial interpretation by the cantonal offices.
How much will it cost if this initiative is accepted?
According to the Confederation, the additional funding would be 215 million to be repeated annually and 160 million to be invested once[4].
[1] See the text of the initiative here: https://www.initiative-biodiversite.ch/initiative/
[2] Particularly in art. 78 of the Constitution; in 3 federal statutes (NPA, LChP and LFSP); in 11 federal ordinances and a Swiss Biodiversity Strategy
[3] The Swiss Parliament, called Federal Assembly, comprises two chambers that has the legislative power over the national-level laws.
[4] In the Federal Council’s communication of 4 March 2022 available here in French: https://www.admin.ch/gov/fr/accueil/documentation/communiques.msg-id-87439.html
2. Biodiversity in Switzerland
Ophrys bourdon (orchid), wonder of dry meadows (Vallon de l’Aubonne, Vaud, Switzerland, 2007) ©BioPerf.biz
How does biodiversity materialize in our lives?
Low or high biodiversity gives an indication of the availability of the services it provides[1]. For example, marshes with low biodiversity will provide less water in times of drought. Grasslands with fewer wild bees would make it more difficult to pollinate crops[2].
How has biodiversity evolved in Switzerland?
Biodiversity is constantly evolving. Since the human presence in Switzerland, it is considered that its maximum wealth was reached at the end of the 18th century[3]. Any analysis of current biodiversity is based on a subjectively chosen reference state. Compared to 1900, biodiversity is in bad shape, and compared to 2000 the conclusion is almost the same[4].
What did tell us the Swiss Government about the state of biodiversity in 2022?
The Federal Council has stated that “Biodiversity in Switzerland is in an unsatisfactory state, marked by a sharp decline, and the measures already taken are not sufficient to halt its decline (loss of biodiversity)”[5][6]
What do field observations tell us about the effectiveness of the current biodiversity conservation?
The study of the state of biodiversity in Switzerland provides clear answers. It is based on 520 sites and the different plants and animals they shelter. On this basis, 47% of the 3,000 species encountered are considered to be in danger of extinction in the short or long term[7]. Almost half of the species found only in Switzerland are also in danger of extinction.
[1] See the summary published by the FRB Foundation for Research on Biodiversity (France) here https://www.fondationbiodiversite.fr/biodiversite-et-services-ecosystemiques/
[3] According to Lachat, T.; Pauli, D.; Gonseth, Y.; Klaus, G.; Scheidegger, C.; Vittoz, P.; Walter T., (Réd.) 2011: Evolution de la biodiversité en Suisse depuis 1900. Avons-nous touché le fond ? Fondation Bristol, Zurich. Haupt Verlag, Berne.
[4] See the article, in FR, by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL: Questions and Answers on Biodiversity in Switzerland, https://www.wsl.ch/fr/news/questions-et-reponses-sur-la-biodiversite-en-suisse/.
[5] In the Federal Council’s communication of 4 March 2022 available here in Swiss national languages: https://www.admin.ch/gov/fr/accueil/documentation/communiques.msg-id-87439.html
[6] Original text in French : « La biodiversité en Suisse se trouve dans un état insatisfaisant, marqué par un fort déclin, et les mesures déjà prises ne suffisent pas à enrayer son recul (perte de biodiversité) ».
[7] Office Fédéral de l’Environnement OFEV, Espèces et milieux menacés en Suisse, Synthèse des listes rouges, 2023. Available in FR, DE and IT version.
3. Biodiversity in the Swiss economy
Biodiversity only for tourism? (Ponte dei Salti, Val Verzasca, Ticino, Switzerland, 2017) ©BioPerf.biz
Why does biodiversity matter for the Swiss business?
In Switzerland, all endangered species are linked to areas that provide services worth CHF 25 billion[1]. Another example are the annual services provided by Swiss rivers and lakes[OS1] [OS2] [2] (extrapolated from the world average), which reach CHF 54 billion. However, data on the economic value of Swiss biodiversity remain scarce.
What is the financial risk associated with the loss of biodiversity and its services?
The cost of inaction for the European Union would amount to 14,000 million euros[3] in 2050. This would represent 7% of GDP. For Switzerland, Swiss Re estimates that 24% of the national GDP is strongly dependent on to biodiversity[4], i.e. around CHF 180 billion per year. This places Switzerland as a low dependence in global comparison. But it still gives an idea of the price to be paid in the event of an urban recovery of the overall Switzerland!
Why does Switzerland have little economic ties to biodiversity?
Because a large part of its GDP comes from activities that are not very dependent on biodiversity, such as the headquarters of multinationals or service activities. Even for agricultural or forestry activities, Switzerland is not autonomous: 30% of wood and 55% of food products come from abroad[5]!
Where are the impacts on biodiversity of the Swiss nation?
All economic activities necessary for the current lifestyle in Switzerland have an impact on biodiversity and are grouped under the term footprint. The latter therefore also includes gold mining in Africa for the manufacture of watches in Switzerland. In 2015, 75% of this impact on nature was outside Switzerland[6].
What services provided by nature do the Swiss economy need?
According to Swiss Re, Switzerland mainly relies on biodiversity for the following services (in descending order of importance): ensuring water supply, producing drinking water, maintaining species, producing breathable air, capturing CO2 and finally maintaining soil fertility. The dependences on water are mainly those of industry, while those on fertile soils concern agriculture and the forestry economy.
What is the state of the services provided by biodiversity?
Soil fertility is not secured, but the extent of the threat[7] is not yet known. The production of drinking water does not seem to be secured either, since 72% of the watercourses inspected in 2022 contained too many micropollutants (drugs + pesticides).[8]. As regards CO2 storage by natural surfaces, no data seem to be available. This service is mainly provided by marshes and forests, ecosystems in different trends. Remaining marshes (10% of their original cover[9]) continue to deteriorate[10]. As for forests, their CO2 storage capacity has been stable since 2015[11], although the Swiss climate strategy predicts a doubling of this capacity.
[1] Office Fédéral de l’Environnement OFEV, rapport sur la biodiversité, 2014. Available in FR, DE and IT version.
[2] Based on the economic values provided by Brander L.M. et al., 2024 : Economic values for ecosystem services: A global synthesis and way forward. Ecoystems Services 66 (2024) 101606.
[3] Braat L. & P. et al., 2008 : The cost of policy inaction : the case of not meeting the 2010 biodiversity target, Wageningen : Alterra (Alterra-report 1718) – 312
[4] See web page and relevant report on https://www.swissre.com/institute/research/topics-and-risk-dialogues/climate-and-natural-catastrophe-risk/expertise-publication-biodiversity-and-ecosystems-services.html#/countries/ch
[5] For 2021 in both cases.
[6] Frischknecht R et al., 2018: Environmental Footprints of Switzerland. FOEN. State of the environmentl’environnement n° 1811: 22 p. Full version in FR, DE and IT.
[7] Office Fédéral de l’Environnement OFEV 2017 : Sols suisses. État et évolution – 2017. État de l’environnement n° 1721: 86 p. Available in FR, DE and IT version.
[9] Klaus G. (réd.) 2007 : État et évolution des marais en Suisse. Résultats du suivi de la protection des marais. État de l’environnement nº 0730. OFEV, Berne. 97 pp. Available in FR, DE and IT version.
[10] BirdLife Suisse et Fondation suisse pour la protection et l‘aménagement du paysage FP, 2017 : Etat des marais d‘importance nationale de Suisse en 2017, 30 ans de votation de Rothenturm. Document numérique, 12 p.. Available in FR or DE version.
[11] Office Fédéral de la Statistique OFS 2023 : Variations du stock de bois sur pied, 1990-2022. Available in FR or DE version.
4. So, how to act?
What is the next (path) for this initiative? (Gorge de Tête-Noire, Trient Valley, Valais, Switzerland, 2020) ©www.BioPerf.biz
What size should be allocated to biodiversity-oriented areas ?
If the goal is to maintain current biodiversity, 30% of Switzerland should be managed in favor of biodiversity and 15% of Switzerland with a protected status[1] (as a reminder, 8% of Switzerland is already protected in 2024). Would these areas be sufficient to secure the necessary services to the Swiss population? There does not seem to be an answer to this question.
If the goal is to maintain current Swiss economic activity, the answer is multiple.
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For industry (25% of Swiss GDP), it will be essential to conserve the biodiversity that provides or protects water in Switzerland.
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For the service sector (74% of GDP), energy needs will be considered above all. So actions on a global scale to reduce the impacts of global warming and actions in Switzerland to maintain the biodiversity necessary for energy production (mainly forests).
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For the tourism sector (3% of the above 74%), diversity in species and landscapes is important for tourists[2]. Actions should therefore preserve the natural features of the landscapes concerned. And therefore target several types of ecosystems each time.
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If the goal is to maintain biodiversity, which is important for Swiss identity, the answer seems even more difficult. What would the Alps be without golden eagles and ibex, ponds without frogs, forests without lynx, lakes without reed beds and arctic char fillets or terrine de fer?
And why not develop biodiversity in urban areas?
75% of Swiss people live in urban areas[3]. If the goal is to make their living environments more pleasant, increasing the biodiversity of these places is necessary[4]. Not only will this make these people happier, but it will also strengthen some of the services provided by biodiversity, which we need: clean air, cool spots during heat waves, reduced risk of flooding or improvement in mental and physical health. Not to mention that urban spaces that are richer in biodiversity will make it possible to better distribute the responsibility for conserving biodiversity over the territory.
With 🫶🏼 and 💡 by BioPerf.biz
PS:Would you have any other question about biodiviersity, see https://sciencesnaturelles.ch/biodiversity/questions_and_answers
[1] Rutishauser et. al, 2023 : Estimation de la surface nécessaire pour le maintien de la biodiversité suisse. InfoSpecies. Neuchâtel. Available in FR and DE version.
[2] Müller S. M. et al. 2019: The Importance of Cultural Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity for Landscape Visitors in the Biosphere Reserve Swabian Alb (Germany), Sustainability 2019, 11, 2650
[3] An urban area is defined here by the Federal Statistical Office as either an agglomeration (a group of at least 20,000 inhabitants made up of several municipalities) or a city (municipality of more than 10,000 inhabitants)
[4] Obrist M. et al. 2012: Biodiversity in the city – for people and nature, WSL, Practitioner’s Leaflet 48.
5. To go further and marvel
- For all the answers of Swiss scientists on biodiversity, see https://naturalsciences.ch/biodiversity/questions_and_answers
- Other articles and insights on integrating biodiversity into business: https://bioperf.biz/blog/
- Beautiful paintings on biodiversity (Laurent Willenegger, in FR): https://www.laurentwillenegger.ch/
- Lots of short and simple videos about nature (La Minute Nature, in FR): https://youtube.com/@laminutenaturenet?si=csvAeAoY1vi5kgos
- Lots of great outings, in the nature, that are fun and accessible for all ages (La Libellule, main suggestions in FR): https://lalibellule.ch/
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