Switzerland signs Paris climate protection agreement

Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard signed the Paris Agreement on climate protection on behalf of Switzerland at an official ceremony at UN headquarters in New York on April 22. The DETEC leader praised it as a "solid foundation for innovation and new technologies toward a low-emission economy." Now, she said, the agreement must be implemented swiftly.

Never before has the world been so united on climate protection, emphasized Federal Councillor Leuthard. The Paris Agreement obliges all countries to take measures to limit global warming, she said. "With more renewable energy, more CO2-neutral transport and with more energy efficiency, we can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions," the DETEC leader said.

Create jobs

In addition, investments in low-carbon sectors are effective contributions to job creation in a sustainably growing economy, Leuthard said. The Paris Agreement must now be implemented quickly by each country. There is no need to wait for the agreement to come into force in order to take concrete measures.

Switzerland is pursuing the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. To this end, the Federal Council wants to revise the CO2 Act and strengthen proven instruments such as the CO2 tax on fuels. Ratification of the Paris Agreement requires the approval of parliament.

174 countries and the European Union have now signed the agreement; 15 countries have also already proposed ratification elements. UN Secretary-General Ba Ki Moon called the ceremony a historic moment: "Never before has such a large number of countries signed an international agreement in a single day," he said.