Additional funds for biodiversity

Biodiversity and its services to the economy and society are under pressure. Since 1900, the intensive use of natural resources through agriculture, mobility, settlement expansion and recreational activities has caused the areas of floodplains to shrink by 70%, peatlands by 80% and dry meadows and pastures by 95%. More than one-third of all species surveyed in Switzerland are threatened. The increasing spread of invasive alien species and climate change are putting further pressure on biodiversity.

Immediate measures for biodiversity 

The Federal Council wants to counteract this development and has therefore reallocated 80 million from the FOEN budget and allocated an additional 55 million Swiss francs to complement the existing efforts of the federal government and the cantons to promote biodiversity. These funds will be used to quickly address the most urgent restoration and enhancement measures. They will be deployed in tranches (2017: CHF 20 million; 2018: CHF 35 million; 2019 and 2020 CHF 40 million each). The cantons will participate to a similar extent in financing the urgent measures.

These measures aim to improve the quality of biotopes of national importance and to promote biodiversity in the forest. For example, old but still effective drainages and drainage ditches are to be removed from peatlands, measures are to be taken against problematic alien species, and forest reserves or old-growth and deadwood islands are to be created to support forest species. Currently, there is an urgent need for restoration of 25% of amphibian spawning areas, 30% of floodplains, 80% of raised bogs, 30% of fens, and 20% of dry meadows and pastures. In forest biodiversity, the focus is on promoting forest reserves, old-growth and deadwood islands, and national priority species and habitats.

Switzerland's strategy on invasive alien species

The funds allocated are also to be used to implement measures of the strategy on invasive alien species. The Federal Council also approved this today in fulfillment of the Vogler postulate (Po. 13.3636) in order to combat the damage caused by these species and prevent future ones. Invasive alien species can have a negative impact on human and animal health (for example, through pollen that triggers allergies or the transmission of diseases), permanently alter habitats that are particularly sensitive or worthy of protection (for example, by displacing endangered native plant species), or damage infrastructure (for example, by destabilizing dams for flood protection). Part of the implementation of the strategy is the harmonization and adaptation of the legal basis on alien species. DETEC has now been commissioned to prepare a corresponding draft.

Action plan for the implementation of the Swiss Biodiversity Strategy

With its decisions, the Federal Council underlines its intention to implement the Swiss Biodiversity Strategy (SBS) and to achieve the goals formulated therein. Today, it took note of the results of the preliminary consultation on the SBS action plan. By the end of the year, DETEC will prepare a corresponding consultation draft for the attention of the Federal Council. The SBS forms the basis for the long-term preservation of a rich biodiversity that is adaptable to changes (e.g. climate warming). In addition, future generations of the Swiss population should also be able to benefit from the free services provided by biodiversity (such as the provision of food, clean water, energy sources or genetic resources).