Climate change is increasing the risk and frequency of heatwaves, droughts and heavy rainfall. To combat these and other effects of climate change, adaptation measures are needed alongside measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Global warming is having an increasingly noticeable impact on Switzerland, creating an urgent need for action. Rising temperatures and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events make measures necessary to protect against heat, summer drought, heavy precipitation, rockfalls, landslides and debris flows. Ecosystems such as forests and endangered habitats must be prepared for the changing climatic conditions. This is all the more important as global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and the effects of climate change will intensify in the coming decades.
With its Climate and Innovation Act, Switzerland has set itself the goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050. The Climate and Innovation Act was approved by a clear majority of voters in June 2023. It also requires the federal government and the cantons to take measures to adapt to climate change and protect against its consequences.
Under the CO2 Act, the federal government is responsible for coordinating adaptation in Switzerland and ensuring that the necessary foundations are in place. The Federal Council's strategy for adapting to climate change sets the framework for coordinated action by federal offices. The action plan for implementation covering 2020–2025 sets out 75 concrete measures at the federal level.
The action plan for implementing the adaptation strategy is based on an analysis of climate-related risks in Switzerland, which identifies the greatest climate change related risks for Switzerland.
The federal government, led by the FOEN, promotes and coordinates Switzerland's climate change adaptation across various levels.
This involves systematically developing solutions to current and future climate change risks in Switzerland:
Further information
Documents
Adaptation to climate change in Switzerland
Action plan 2020–2025. Part 3 of the Federal Council strategy of 19 April 2020. 2020 (Only available in German, French and Italian)
Kriterien für Anpassungsmassnahmen (Only available in German and French) (PDF, 953 kB, 31.07.2018)Report on results 2018
Adaptation to climate change in Switzerland
Action plan 2014–2019. Part 2 of the Federal Council strategy of 9 April 2014. 2014 (Only available in German, French and Italian)
Adaptation to climate change in Switzerland. Goals, challenges and fields of action
Goals, challenges and areas for action. Part 1 of the Federal Council strategy of 2 March 2012. 2012
Importance of the Federal Council strategy to the cantons. (Only available in German, French and Italian)
Last modification 19.08.2025
