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CO2 Act revision
At the end of August 2009, the Federal Council announced that the draft bill for a revision of the CO2 Act had been passed. The revision should implement the international obligations that will now be discussed further in Mexico at the end of 2010. The revision is currently being discussed in the National Council's Committee for Environment, Spatial Planning and Energy (CESPE-N) and will be discussed in the Federal Parliament at the earliest from summer 2010.
The most important key points of the Federal Council proposal are:
General:
- New: All internationally defined greenhouse gases to be covered by the CO2 Act.
- Emission reduction of minus 20 percent by 2020 (compared to 1990).
- Emission reduction target will be raised to 30 percent, if the EU raises theirs at the same level.
- At least half of the emission reductions - 10 percent - must be reduced domestically; the Federal Council controls the recognition of Emission Reduction Certificates from projects abroad and Emission Allowances.
Fuel Sector:
- Continuation of CO2 tax, including partial earmarking to fund CO2-effective measures in the building sector (1/3 of the CO2 tax), continuation of the targets agreed upon for emissions by companies exposed to international competition.
- New: Obligatory participation of certain businesses in emissions trading and automatic redistribution of CO2 tax (2/3) also to tax exempt businesses.
- Separate partial revision for the Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) that was rejected by the Swiss Council of States Commission in the summer. The CCGT will likewise be exempt from the CO2 tax for fuel, but must nevertheless offset its CO2 emissions comprehensively; the domestic share of the offset projects is still an issue of contention.
Propellant sector:
- Adaptation of the local vehicle emissions legislation for new cars to the EU regulation (separate partial revision)
- Offset obligations for propellant imports of at least 25 percent (a kind of continuation of the Climate Cent System)
- CO2 tax on propellants, subsidiary, in case the target is not reached.
Much is currently happening in respect of Swiss climate policy: In particular, the economic effects of an ambitious combination of domestic and foreign measures are also getting increased attention in the economy, as are the opportunities of such a progressive policy for Switzerland's image and its export industry. Thus, the majority of the advisory commission expressed an opinion in favour of proceeding more ambitiously and wants to increase the domestic reduction target, independently from international developments, from 10% to 20%, but at the same time give the Federal Council the authority to set a more ambitious overall emissions reduction target of up to 40% in keeping with international developments. With flexible mechanisms considered, the parliament could raise the reduction goals already in the CO2 Act to lead the way in climate policy. At the same time, the revised CO2 Act is an indirect counter-proposal to the Climate Initiative, which demands a domestic reduction of 30% by 2020.
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