Switzerland has a progressive approach to protection against natural hazards, to which it is particularly exposed as an alpine and densely populated country. 1.8 million people still live in flood-prone areas. 1.7 million jobs and 840 billion. Swiss francs in material assets are located in such danger zones.

In the near future, new challenges are foreseeable for which Switzerland must prepare: The increasingly warm climate and the resulting heavier and more frequent precipitation, as well as settlement development and increasingly expensive infrastructure (e.g. transport routes), increase the risks of damage from natural events such as floods. The report on natural hazards in Switzerland therefore sets out various packages of measures to ensure the safety and economic development of Switzerland in the future.

Cost-effective solutions thanks to early detection and prevention

The measures are aimed at using the available resources as effectively and economically as possible for prevention. The aim is to protect the population, the economy and the environment from the consequences of natural events and to keep public expenditure within reasonable limits.

Central to this is comprehensive risk management - the earlier large-scale risks are identified and prevented, the more cost-effective the measures and the more thoroughly they can be planned. Part of this planning is a forward-looking strategy for adapting to climate change. It is worth investing in protection against natural hazards in the future and keeping existing protective structures such as dams intact in the long term.

According to the package of measures for natural hazards in Switzerland, the existing bases, such as hazard maps, must be updated and taken into account in spatial planning throughout the country. New phenomena such as surface runoff, i.e. flooding from surfaces such as fields or roads, must also be recorded on maps. In the construction industry, uniform standards should also be applied for natural hazard-oriented building. In this way, safety can be improved with relatively little effort and a further increase in risks can be prevented. This applies in particular to the natural hazard of earthquakes.

Permanent task for the whole society

Protection against natural hazards remains a joint task of the federal government, cantons and municipalities. Insurance companies, professional associations, teaching and research are also included in this alliance, as is the general public. The aim is to make them even more aware of the issue and their own options for action.

Protection against floods, rockfalls and other natural hazards is a permanent task. On the one hand, existing protective structures, such as those on the Rhône or the Alpine Rhine, must be renewed so that they retain their protective function. On the other hand, the changed hazard situation due to climate change and social and economic development must be taken into account. In order to remedy the deficits identified and to use the resources as optimally as possible, it may be necessary to adapt the existing legal basis.

Source: Confederation

The jury has decided: The six nominated practical project teams for the WTT Young Leader Award have been determined. However, who will take first, second and third place in the two categories of market research and management conception - this secret will not be revealed until Monday, September 26, in front of over 500 guests in the Tonhalle St.Gallen. "The jury was unanimous regarding the two winning teams," says Sibylle Minder Hochreutener, Prorector of the University of Applied Sciences St.Gallen (FHS). In the management concept category, there was a clear favorite. Long-time jury member and Bauwerk boss Klaus Brammertz comments: "Even viewed over the years, this work can be classified as an extraordinarily outstanding achievement." One can be curious.

Professional level

"It is a great pleasure to examine the often refreshing, down-to-earth, and pragmatic solutions of the students," says a pleased Christof Oswald, head of Bühler Human Resources. Thomas Harring from the top management of Leica Geosystems is of a similar opinion: "Some of the work has the level of well-paid consulting firms." FHS Principal Sebastian Wörwag is pleased with how amazingly deeply the teams have delved into very specific industry topics. "With such achievements, the students always manage to give very valuable initial impulses to the economy of eastern Switzerland," knows Bruno Räss, partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Convincing market research

The following teams were nominated in the market research category: Nicole Bischof (Wittenbach), Philipp Gemperle (Waldkirch), Lorena Lütscher (Domat/Ems), Ramona Sigron (Chur), Marco Solenthaler (Heiden) prepared a market potential and competitor analysis for the company De Martin AG in Wängi. Marco Otti (St.Gallen), Manuel Bayer (Degersheim), Ramon Beerli (St.Gallen), Matthias Nideröst (St.Gallen) and Raffaele Vignacastrisi (Abtwil) caught the jury's eye with their customer benefit analysis for Oertli Instrumente AG from Berneck. Students Selina Steiger (St.Gallen), Rafael Manetsch (Siat), Christian Schiegg (Appenzell) and their American colleagues Yana Bliznakova, Aryan Jain and Jaa Le from Babson College in Boston can also hope for the coveted trophy thanks to their market entry analysis for the Swiss company SFS intec Inc. in Wyoming (USA).

Promising concepts

Which teams are nominated in the Management Concept category? Johannes Grob (Herisau), Nicolas Gorlero (Uerikon), Luca Pieli (Stein), Fabian Ritter (Gais) and Philipp Sutter (Sonnental) have professionalized the basis for financial management for the Flawil company Büchler Reinli und Spitzli AG. Daniel Bänziger (Trogen), Roman Büchler (Hauptwil), Timo Koller (Herisau), Lino Schindler (Heiden) and Simon Stoffel (Sitterdorf) are in the running with a sales concept for Leica Geosystems in Heerbrugg. The jury was also convinced by the key figures cockpit for Plaston AG in Widnau by the students Ramon Hilber (Gossau), Nico Heiniger (St.Gallen), Lia Canal (Buchs), Leoni Bleisch (St.Gallen).

This year's award speech "A unique entrepreneur and life design" will be given by the internationally active architect and entrepreneur Klauspeter Nüesch from Eastern Switzerland.

More information: www.fhsg.ch/praxisprojekte

A barrel with a chimney - that's what the prototype looks like with which André Van der Veken wants to revolutionize Swiss agriculture. "It's not pretty, but it works," says the founder of the company Carboforce proud. The barrel's inner workings are a lot more complex than they look. It is a highly modern furnace that chars mixed plant waste without oxygen and produces hardly any exhaust gases.

The process is called pyrolysis and is currently experiencing a major boom in the field of vegetable carbon. The aim of André Van der Veken and his company Carboforce is to develop a cost-effective pyrolysis plant for farms. The task now is to simplify the handling of the prototype and to design a housing that replaces the barrel as the shell of the furnace. The SME in Cernier, Neuchâtel, is receiving financial support from the Climate Foundation Switzerland.

Triple use

Vegetable carbon is porous like a sponge. It is not burned. Instead, it finds multiple uses in agriculture: First, farmers mix vegetable charcoal into animal feed - this makes it easier for the animals to digest. Second, charcoal is added to barn bedding and manure to reduce ammonia and methane gas leakage. Third, plant charcoal is plowed into the soil, allowing the soil to absorb more water and nutrients.

Carbonaceous soil is very fertile and was already known to the indigenous people in the Amazon region over 1000 years ago. They were able to significantly increase their yields thanks to the so-called "Terra Preta". In some African countries, coal is still successfully used today as a soil conditioner.

Old knowledge rediscovered
The Western world is rediscovering coal along with the modern pyrolysis process. Universities around the world are researching the topic of vegetable charcoal, or "biochar" in English. In the state of Oregon in the USA, a four-day biochar conference starts on August 22. In October, the third Asia-Pacific Biochar Conference is already planned in South Korea.

Research, development and agriculture are also networking in Switzerland. Eco center in Langenbruck founded the "CharNet", a network of stakeholders active in the field of vegetable carbon. The Federal Offices for Agriculture and Environment are planning a round table with knowledge holders on the topic in September 2016.

Back in 2010, the Biochar Science Netwok was founded by the Delinat Institute in Valais and the University of Zurich. Other universities and research institutes in Europe have joined the network. The network has played a key role in establishing guidelines for the quality of biochar in Europe. Quality assurance is therefore one of the main topics in the discussion on vegetable carbon in Switzerland. Other focal points are the launch of new research projects and the licensing practice for the use of vegetable carbon in agriculture.

Opportunity for climate protection and the economy
The Swiss Climate Foundation supports SMEs that do something for climate protection. For the past five years, this has included projects in the field of vegetable carbon. In the Zug mountain region, for example, several farmers have joined forces to produce vegetable charcoal in a larger plant. The foundation contributed to the investment.

"Producing vegetable charcoal on your own farm is still too expensive for many farmers," says Vincent Eckert, executive director of the foundation. The demand for good and cost-effective plants is high, he says. The Swiss Climate Foundation therefore also supports Swiss SMEs that develop pyrolysis plants. The foundation is a voluntary initiative of renowned service companies in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Its aim is to promote climate protection and strengthen the domestic economy at the same time.

Production directly on the farm
For Swiss agriculture, smaller equipment is needed than abroad, so that vegetable carbon can be produced directly on farms in a decentralized manner. In addition to Carboforce by André Van der Veken, the Swiss Climate Foundation also supports the company Cascade-E in Basel in the development of a prototype for farms.

Business manager Stephan Gutzwiller has already been selling small pyrolysis devices for hobby use for several years. Now he has bigger plans: "My vision is that every Swiss farm will produce its own vegetable charcoal," he says. His prototype is connected to a heat exchanger that harnesses the waste heat from charcoal production for heating. An extension that is also planned for the Carboforce project. Stephan Gutzwiller of Kaskad-E is now looking for a farm to test his prototype under real conditions.

Soil as a carbon store
The Swiss Climate Foundation sees great potential in plant charcoal for the fight against climate change. "Soil is the largest carbon store on earth and therefore a very important factor in climate protection," explains Vincent Eckert. But with climate change, the soil is also changing. The humus layer decreases, carbon escapes and the soil can store less water. Vegetable carbon counteracts these trends. "Some of the carbon that the plants have filtered from the air remains bound and can be permanently stored in the soil," says Vincent Eckert, adding, "At the same time, the soil's ability to absorb water and nutrients improves, which brings direct benefits to farmers."

(Text: Climate Foundation Switzerland)

In the private sector, many people already look at sustainability when purchasing. The new ISO standard now also wants to help organizations and companies to procure goods, energy and raw materials sustainably.

ISO Standard 20400, Sustainable Procurement - Guidance is intended to provide organizations with a guideline to integrate sustainability into their purchasing behavior. This includes social, environmental and economic criteria.

The standard is intended to serve as a supplement to ISO Standard 26000, Social Responsibility. The aim is to minimize environmental impact, respect human rights and make a positive contribution to society and the economy.

Latest feedbacks

As ISO now reports, the standard is now in the second Draft International Standard phase. Interested parties can provide feedback on the draft for the last time before the standard is published in 2017.

The new standard is designed to give companies an advantage, says Jacques Schramm, who helped develop it while chairing the responsible committee, ISO/PC 277: "ISO 20400 will help organizations achieve their sustainability goals, improve the management of their supplier relationships, enhance the sustainability efforts of their supply chains and, last but not least, give them a competitive edge."

"The demands on employees have clearly increased," says Mario Vieli, Head of HR at EY. "Numerous factors are responsible for this: For example, communication has become more intensive through e-mail, chat and messenger services, and the pressure on employees to be constantly available is increasing. In addition, internationalization has increased, which entails more travel as well as work assignments outside of block hours in order to be able to exchange information with business partners in the US, Asia or elsewhere at any time."

For 37 percent of employees, the work-life balance - i.e., the compatibility of job and private life - has become more difficult, which is primarily due to increased demands at work: 42 percent of those surveyed who complain about a worsened work-life balance cite more working hours and more responsibility at work as the reason. One in four sees the cause in the private sphere.

Workload and satisfaction not a contradiction

Despite the increasing demands and a private life that is suffering as a result, however, satisfaction among Swiss employees is high: almost two-thirds (62 percent) are "satisfied" and 32 percent describe themselves as "somewhat satisfied. Only one percent are "dissatisfied" with their work. "Even though the high stress levels on the one hand and the high satisfaction levels on the other look like a contradiction at first glance, they are not. Rather, they reflect the challenges and opportunities that today's working world offers. After all, work has become more interesting overall: international work, more responsibility for the individual, more variety and flatter hierarchies. This offers employees today unprecedented development opportunities, but also considerable challenges," Vieli adds to his analysis of the results of the "Job Study 2016" by the auditing and consulting firm EY (Ernst & Young).

Burden for men and women high

Both women and men report increasing demands: 51 percent of men say their workload has increased, while the figure for women is only slightly lower at 45 percent. Among both women and men, more than one in three is finding it somewhat more difficult to combine work and private life: The work-life balance has worsened particularly for parents of preschool children (four to six years old): 81 percent of women and 53 percent of men report a worsening of the situation. However, it is by no means only the children who make the work-life balance of young parents so difficult: When fathers of preschool-age children complain about a difficult work-life balance, they attribute this not only to the children (57 percent) but also to increasing demands at work - 43 percent attribute the worsened work-life balance to an increase in the number of hours worked. On average, full-time men work significantly more than full-time women. For example, 2 out of 3 men (66 percent) work more than 40 hours a week, but only 45 percent of women. For women, the ratio is reversed: For 63 percent of young working mothers, children are the reason for a lack of work-life balance, while only 15 percent cite having to spend too much time in the office as a reason. Almost every second woman (45 percent) works part-time, compared with only 12 percent of men.

"In many households, women still do most of the child-rearing. Men tend to go full throttle at work and don't want to cut back - either at work or in their private lives. As a result, many men work more hours for the sake of their careers, while taking on more responsibilities at home than they used to - with the result that they, too, have a hard time finding the right work-life balance," Vieli says. "It now also remains the responsibility of companies to cushion the associated burden - for example, through flexible working time models or childcare options," Vieli concludes. This is also confirmed by the respondents, as 66 percent of Swiss employees would like a modern employer to offer flexible working time models above all. One in three would like the opportunity to work more from home (33 percent).

One in three is paid according to performance - men more than women

For 34 percent of Swiss employees, the salary has a performance or success component, with this proportion being slightly higher among men than women and significantly more widespread in the private sector than in the public sector and associations. Insurance (58 percent), business services (53 percent), and telecommunications and IT (47 percent) have the highest proportion of variable wage employees. For larger companies and with hierarchical level, the percentage of people with a variable wage component increases. For 9 out of 10 employees, the method of calculating the profit or performance component in the salary is comprehensible. Two out of three employees (and here the percentage of men is higher) are in favor of performance-based pay, and more than half of employees say they would increase their commitment to their work if they were paid (more) based on performance. On average, men earn 45 percent more than women for a full-time workload, as men's gross annual earnings average CHF 77,500 and women's CHF 53,600. People working in telecommunications and IT are the most satisfied with their wages, followed by business service providers and people in agriculture and forestry. The least satisfied are people in real estate and trade. In general, despite the differences between sectors and genders, almost nine out of ten employees (88 percent) in Switzerland are rather satisfied or satisfied with their pay.

Source: www.ey.com

Lucas Baumann, a federally certified business economist with a degree from the HTW University of Applied Sciences in Chur, will be the new CEO of the Kreuzlingen-based family business. He has been Head of Marketing and Communication at Rausch AG since 2012. In 2015, he successfully managed the product relaunch on the occasion of the company's 125th anniversary. Marco Baumann will remain with the company as a brand ambassador. He also remains Chairman of the Board of Directors, which also includes his two sons Lucas and Tom Baumann.

The family business stands for quality, competence, safety and effectiveness. Strengths that remain the top priority for Lucas Baumann in order to continue serving customers who are enthusiastic about RAUSCH. "Competence and herbal knowledge, experience and tradition meet new ideas and challenges. We are ready for the future without forgetting our past," says the new CEO. Lucas Baumann also says he intends to stick to the "Made in Switzerland" principle and keep the company's supply chain in Switzerland. Research, development, manufacturing, marketing and sales will remain at the parent company in Kreuzlingen, where the majority of the 164 employees work. From there, Rausch AG cosmetic products are sold in 27 countries worldwide. The company's distribution partner is the specialist retail trade, which is well versed in providing advice. In the highly competitive cosmetics market, Lucas Baumann wants to differentiate his natural products even more clearly from other suppliers and secure and purposefully expand the company with new strategies. The focus is on digitalization and on targeting a younger audience.

www.rausch.ch

Kenny Eichenberger is not resting on its laurels even in its 40th anniversary year: The merger of the six locations of KETO Autocenter AG and Kenny's Auto-Center AG in September will create a new major German-Swiss player in the car trade. The management is in the hands of Marc Eichenberger, son of Kenny Eichenberger. He will become chairman of the board of directors.

Helped shape the development of mobility

Kenny Eichenberger has played a major role in shaping the development of mobility in Switzerland over the past 40 years and has always been able to adapt to the rapid changes. 40 years ago, he founded his company, which is now at home in Wettingen and Dällikon as Kenny's Auto-Center. For 30 years, he has represented Mercedes-Benz - the brand that accounted for 7.1% of the Swiss car market in 2015 and is one of the ten most popular car brands in Switzerland in almost all categories: Mercedes-Benz today covers very different customer segments, from minicars to all mid-range categories to the luxury segment.

Once upon a time there was a smart center

The history of Kenny's Auto-Center AG is also closely interwoven with that of Mercedes-Benz and smart on other levels. For example, 20 years ago Nicolas Hayek and Mercedes-Benz selected Kenny Eichenberger and Thomas Baggenstos for the first smart branch in German-speaking Switzerland. Smart, the pioneer among minicars, was still one of the best-selling small cars in Switzerland in 2015. The smart centers were ultimately the foundation stone for today's KETO Autocenter AG in Zurich-Wallisellen, Bern-Schönbühl, Lucerne-Kriens and Zug-Mettmenstetten. Since January 2016, they have been managed by Kenny's son Marc Eichenberger, who joined KETO Autocenter AG as a sales consultant for smart almost five years ago after completing a bachelor's degree in business administration and managing and selling a monitoring company.

Emotions plus digitization

So now comes another milestone: Kenny's Auto-Center AG and KETO Autocenter AG merge to form Kenny's Auto-Center AG. Kenny Eichenberger places the management in the hands of his son Marc Eichenberger and becomes Chairman of the Board of Directors of the 200-strong family business with six locations. He explains the advantages resulting from the merger: "The car trade is moving strongly. But at the end of the day, it's still all about customer satisfaction. The human factor is the be-all and end-all in the car trade, always has been! As a car dealer, I sell emotions. However, customers today are better informed and more demanding. Technical capabilities allow for greater efficiency and expertise in customer service and repair of increasingly complex vehicles. Kenny's, with a strong brand at six locations, can take better and faster advantage of the opportunities offered by digitalization. The "smart" know-how of KETO Autocenter AG gives wings to the Wettingen and Dällikon locations. Decades of experience with Mercedes-Benz strengthen KETO Autocenter AG. At all six locations, the new Mercedes-Benz Competence Center in Wettingen is at the service of customers - digitization makes it possible. The team of diagnostic specialists is thus always close to fleet customers or private customers."

Mercedes-Benz at daily prices

Car dealerships today and in the future involve more than the sale and repair of vehicles. Marc Eichenberger, the designated managing director of the new Kenny's Group, also sees the opportunities of car sharing or renting cars. He says, "The new technologies bring entirely new opportunities. These certainly include sharing platforms or simply renting a car. Our parent company Daimler shows abroad with Car to go how easy car rental is. We at Kenny's are now also offering rental cars - in all categories. With the smart, we have an offer for CHF 39 per day, which is cheaper than Mobility. There are no subscription fees at Kenny's. A wide range of Mercedes-Benz models are available for rent. These include station wagons or vans that you might want to drive during the vacation season, for example - when you need more space with your family or for sports equipment. It's a good alternative for owners of a two-seater like the smart or a Mercedes-Benz convertible."

Cheaper, faster, leaner, smarter

In order to always be top fit to face change in the future, Kenny's places even more emphasis on the continuous training of its 200 employees, who have to adapt their skills continuously and quickly. Marc Eichenberger: "The only real constant remains the point of trust - customers want to feel that they trust us and our brands. We succeed in this if we maintain a high level of transparency towards customers and our employees are able to provide good advice to the increasingly well-informed customer." For customers, the growing investments in infrastructure and IT also result in further advantages. For example, the standardized processes improve efficiency and speed. Marc Eichenberger: "Thanks to the new diagnostics team in Wettingen and the use of the new technologies, our services for customers will be cheaper and faster. Since we don't have a general manager per location, we as the Kenny's management team are closer to the people, are more efficient and can introduce innovations more quickly."

Larger stock of new and used cars

He goes on to explain, "In terms of marketing, we obviously have a lot more options with the Kenny's brand: With a single company, we have a single presence. There are also synergies and cost savings. Certain elements that are very successful in Wettingen will also be adopted at the other locations. These include, for example, the Käfeli or the wheel of fortune, which every customer can spin after making a purchase. Whoever wins gets a reduction. That's very popular! Customers can also enjoy the well-known Käfeli from Costa Rica, which is easy on the stomach, anywhere in a modern setting. We are also looking into how we can transfer certain elements of Feng Shui, which give the building in Wettingen a unique ambience, to the other locations. There are further advantages in the exhibitions, which, for example, attract around 5,000 people every year in Wettingen, or in the presentation of an even larger range of models. Overall, we are cultivating the best of Kenny's Auto-Center AG and expanding it to six locations." The already large stock of used cars, new cars and demonstration cars will also be further expanded.

www.kennys.ch

Global energy consumption is growing again in 2015, but by a comparatively small 0.4%.

Figures from energy company BP show that oil production continues to rise, up 3.2% or 133 million tons in 2015. The increase is mainly due to petroleum extracted using fracking methods and the environmentally damaging exploitation of the Canadian oil sands. The USA, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in particular participated in this growth. Because oil consumption in the USA also continued to rise in 2015, this country remains the largest importer of crude oil.

World natural gas production also increased; slightly larger than in the previous year at 2.2% or 69.3 million t of oil equivalents. Fracked gas from the USA was responsible for more than half of this increase (+ 36.2 million t); Iran also made significant gains. In the case of natural gas, there is still no sign of an end to the fracking boom.

Coal declining

For more than 20 years, until 2013, the production of coal had increased very strongly, driven mainly by the accelerated mining of China, which is responsible for about half of the global production and consumption. The first significant decline in coal production was already seen in 2014, to the tune of 27.9 million tons of oil equivalent.

In 2015, the shortfall in production now amounted to 158.8 million tons ( - 4.0%), mainly due to production declines in the USA, Indonesia and China. China's consumption of coal was also down in 2015, yet China consumes 50% of the world's share and shows production levels that are below consumption. This country is apparently making an effort to reduce coal production somewhat for environmental reasons, in exchange for which it is increasing its oil and natural gas production and is also leading the world in the production of solar energy.

If the decline in fracking in the USA, which has already been forecast on various occasions, actually materializes, it is to be feared that coal production will be ramped up again to compensate.

The development of the percentage shares of the individual energy sources in the total world production has slightly modified in 2015 only within the framework of the already mentioned trends. The share of fossil energy sources (production figures) has decreased by 0.4%.

Peak Gas looms

Josef Jenni, Managing Director at Jenni Power Engineering, together with political scientist Christian Moser, has analyzed the figures. As they write in their media release, the new production maxima should by no means allow the conclusion that fossil energy sources will continue to be available without danger. The experts cite four reasons for this:

• Peak oil cannot be avoided, and its delay due to fracking and forced, also politically conditioned production by individual producer states will not last;
• peak gas also looms in the medium term, because it is very questionable whether the production increase in the USA, due to the fracking boom, will last long, because the new wells could be exhausted very quickly;
• the reported reserves for fossil fuels have changed only marginally;
• Despite larger reserves, even a renewed increase in coal production will not be able to compensate for possible declines in the production of other fossil fuels and to satisfy a further increase in demand.

At the same time, Jenni and Moser see a shrinking role for fossil fuels in the future. This is due to the excessively high prices of fracking technology, a production volume that can hardly be increased any more, and the increasing CO2 input into the atmosphere.

The bicycle initiative, submitted in March 2016 with 104,000 signatures, wants to oblige the cantons and the federal government to promote bicycle paths for work and leisure traffic. The Federal Council has now drafted a counter-proposal that supports the fundamental concerns of the initiative, because:

"Cycling can help break traffic peaks and contributes to reducing domestic CO2 and energy consumption. In addition, cycling promotes health. The Federal Council therefore considers a stronger commitment in the area of cycling routes to be fundamentally sensible and expedient," it writes in a media release.

Federal government should support instead of plan

Thus, as requested in the constitutional article 88 on footpaths and hiking trails, the bicycle paths should now also be included. The weakening concerns the responsibilities: The initiative demands that the federal government promotes and coordinates the measures of the cantons. This goes too far for the Federal Council: it wants planning, construction and maintenance to remain in principle with the cantons and municipalities and sees the federal government only in a supporting role.

Initiators welcome the proposal

The initiators of the bicycle initiative, a sponsorship of 28 organizations and parties, welcome the counter-proposal and call it "a commitment by the Federal Council to promote cycling". They emphasize that the entire population benefits when more people choose cycling as a means of transport: the health of the individual, the environment, but also the other road users, as the roads and public transport are relieved.

The consultation on the Federal Council's counter-proposal to the Velo Initiative is now starting and will last for three months, until November 17, 2016.

In Switzerland, alien species - so-called neobiota - are increasingly spreading. These introduced or immigrated animals and plants can cause considerable damage to humans, animals, infrastructure facilities and the environment. They can also cause problems in water bodies by spreading rapidly and displacing native species, for example. This poses a significant threat to biodiversity.

Through transmission of the crayfish plague, for example, large American crayfish have already driven native noble crayfish to local extinction. Other neobiota such as Black Sea gobies are displacing native fish species from their spawning and feeding grounds. In turn, alien mussels such as the basket or quagga mussel clog up pipeline systems.

Lake Pfäffikon as ideal test area for pilot project

Lake Pfäffikon in the Zurich Oberland is a popular local recreation area. Today it is a functioning ecosystem and provides a habitat for numerous rare and endangered plants and animals. Fortunately, it has hardly been colonized by alien species to date.

Since the nearby Greifensee and Lake Zurich are already infested with some invasive neobiota, new species are also expected in Lake Pfäffikon. To prevent this, the Office for Waste, Water, Energy and Air (AWEL) is implementing the pilot project "Neobiota Free Zone Pfäffikersee" in consultation with local communities and associations.

The aim of the project is to keep the lake as free as possible from harmful alien species and to preserve the valuable current ecosystem. Because once they have established themselves, they can hardly be removed.

Raise awareness and demonstrate correct behavior

Raising awareness among fishermen, boat owners and water sports enthusiasts plays an important role in the pilot project. They can unintentionally introduce invasive species from other waters, as neobiota can stick to boats, other floating bodies and equipment or be carried along in bilge water - the residual water in the lower hull of the boat - or in water residues in the equipment. Therefore, boats must be carefully cleaned before entering Lake Pfäffikon, and the same applies to the rest of the equipment. In addition, live bait fish must not be allowed to enter Lake Pfäffikon from other lakes.

In addition, the local public will be made aware of the issue of neobiota and the consequences of illegal releases of aquarium and garden pond inhabitants. The measures will be implemented from 2016 to 2018, adjusted if necessary and evaluated. In 2019, a balance sheet will be drawn up and a decision made as to whether the measures should be continued and, if necessary, extended to other bodies of water in the canton of Zurich. The pilot project on Lake Pfäffikon provides important findings for the cantonal neobiota strategy, which can also be used throughout Switzerland.

The Federal Council has approved the revision of the Forest Ordinance. The new provisions aim to better protect the forest from harmful organisms in the future, to prepare it for the challenges of climate change, and to strengthen wood utilization and occupational safety during timber harvesting.

Control invasive pests

The amendments on the prevention and control of harmful organisms close existing regulatory gaps. The background is the threat to the forest from pathogens, fungi and insects. In particular, invasive pests such as the Asian longhorned beetle, the tree of gods or the fungal disease ash wilt are entering Switzerland with increasing frequency due to globalization and threaten forest health.

The amendments allow the Federal Council to prohibit or restrict the handling of certain organisms, plants and goods and to introduce licensing, notification, registration and documentation requirements to protect against harmful organisms.

Adaptations to climate change

The forest is broadly affected by climate change. The federal government expects that, in addition to rising average temperatures, extreme events such as dry periods or storms will occur more frequently. Hazards such as forest fires or infestation by harmful organisms are likely to increase. The changed site conditions could lead to a threat to forest functions. For this reason, the promotion of forest regeneration, targeted young forest maintenance or the production of forest reproductive material should make forest stands resilient and adaptable to the expected climate changes.

A new article enables the federal government and the cantons to take appropriate measures and support them with financial aid.

Increase wood utilization

For decades, less wood has been used in the Swiss forest than is growing back. The Confederation considers greater use to be sensible and desirable, since wood has excellent properties, particularly as a building material (e.g. for compacted construction), its use stores CO2 and it can at the same time replace energy-intensive building materials such as steel or concrete.

As a raw material for heat and power production, wood is CO2-neutral, unlike fossil fuels. This means that wood from the Swiss forest can make an important contribution to the political goals of climate and energy policy, but also to resource efficiency and dense construction.

The Forest Act therefore contains a new article on the promotion of wood and another on the use of wood in federal buildings and facilities. The Confederation is thus creating a better basis for promoting the sale and utilization of sustainably produced wood - in general and in federal buildings and facilities in particular.

The revised Forest Act and the amendments to the Forest Ordinance will enter into force on January 1, 2017.

Startling figures from NASA: July was the warmest month ever recorded - since measurements began in 1880. It was 0.84°C warmer on global average than the long-term average for 1950 bs 1980 and 0.11°C warmer than the previous record month - July 2015.

If this news doesn't sound new, it's no wonder - in the past ten months, every single month has been the warmest of its kind. After 2014 and 2015 were each the hottest year ever recorded, 2016 is again shaping up to be a new heat record. According to NASA experts, the odds of that happening are 99%. Overall, temperatures in the first half of 2016 were about 1.3°C higher than in the late 19th century.

Part of the blame for the new temperature record lies with the weather phenomenon El Niño, which was particularly strong this year. NASA climate expert Gavin Schmidt, director of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, however, believes that the greater part is due to climate change. He warns, for example, that even in 2017, when the effects of El Niño have passed, temperatures can be expected to be around 1°C above the pre-industrial era - and thus only half a degree below the benchmark set at the Paris climate summit.

Switzerland: July above average

In Switzerland, the 2016 spring temperature averaged within the range of the 1981-2010 norm. July 2016, on the other hand, reached the highest temperature according to Federal Office of Meorology and Climatology about 0.9°C higher temperatures than average July 1981-2010.

The previous record years in Switzerland were recorded in 2011 (+1.21°C), 2014 (+1.25°C) and 2015 (+1.21°C). The figures have been valid since measurements began in 1864.