By AFP - Agence France Presse
Swiss vote rejects putting ecology at the heart of the constitution
Swiss voters on Sunday firmly rejected a referendum proposal by Green politicians to enshrine respect for the planet's natural resources in the constitution.
Around 70% of voters voted no to the measure, according to an official preliminary count.
A summary of the referendum said that natural resources such as water, soil and air were often used up in Switzerland and abroad to such an extent “that they are unable to recover”.
“The Environmental Responsibility Initiative demands that economic activities consume no more resources and release no more pollutants than is permitted for the preservation of natural resources,” it said, setting a deadline of 10 years.
The text did not provide any details on how the change would be implemented, such as regulations, bans or incentives, but said that “due to the short timeframe, radical measures are likely to be necessary”.
In line with earlier predictions of a solid majority against the “no” vote, the vote won in all cantons.
The left-wing parties supported the proposed text that would put into the constitution a commitment not to use more natural resources than the Earth's limits.
“The aim is to achieve, within a decade, an economy and a society in which the amount of resources consumed and pollutants discharged remain in environmentally sustainable proportions,” Greenpeace, which supported the yes camp, said in a press release.
But the government, business groups, right-wing and center-right parties opposed the measure, arguing that it would jeopardize economic growth.
Ahead of the vote, the leader of the Swiss People's Party (SVP) called the initiative “dangerous”.
“It would result in a very significant increase in prices or a decrease in the diversity of supply in various areas, such as food, housing, mobility and clothing,” the party said.
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