Climate change adaptation in Switzerland – strategy and action plan

Since the Federal Council adopted its adaptation strategy in 2012, Switzerland's climate has continued to evolve. The average annual temperature has risen by a further 1 °C, and when compared to the pre-industrial average of 1871–1900 by as much as 3 °C. Extreme weather events such as heatwaves, summer droughts and heavy rainfall have become more frequent and severe. In light of these developments, the adaptation strategy and its accompanying action plan are currently being reviewed and revised.

Goals, challenges and areas for action

The Federal Council's strategy on climate change adaptation in Switzerland established a framework for coordinated action to address increasing heat stress in urban areas, increasing summer drought and growing risks from natural hazards. The adaptation strategy sets out objectives and principles for adaptation while analysing and assessing climate change risks in Switzerland. It describes areas for action to address medium and high climate risks.

Switzerland's overarching objectives regarding climate change adaptation are:

proactively minimise climate change risks and protect the population, property and natural resources through targeted measures
strengthen resilience and improve the ability of society, the economy and the environment to adapt
harness opportunities arising from climate change in Switzerland.

The interdepartmental committee on climate change (IDA Klima), led by the FOEN, coordinates implementation and further development of the adaptation strategy. The 2012 adaptation strategy will be reviewed and revised by the end of 2025.

Adaptation to climate change in Switzerland. Goals, challenges and fields of action

Action plan 2020–25

On 19 August 2020, the Federal Council adopted an action plan on the implementation of the adaptation strategy in the period 2020–25. This builds on the first action plan for the period 2014–19 and implements many of the measures contained in it.

The 2020–25 action plan contains 75 measures at federal level. 63 of the measures concern activities in the water management, management of natural hazards, soil protection, agriculture, forestry, energy, tourism, biodiversity management, health (human and animal), housing and spatial development sectors. Most of these measures aim to improve the framework for adapting to climate change, to improve the knowledge base through monitoring and research, to review and, where necessary, amend standards, to develop new management strategies and to integrate adaptation into existing processes and forms of cooperation.

12 measures are cross-sectoral and aim to improve the knowledge base and knowledge transfer as well as the coordination and support of the implementation of the adaptation strategy.

The analysis of the climate-related opportunities and risks in Switzerland and the CH2018 climate scenarios were used as a basis for the 2020–25 action plan. Adopting a precautionary approach, the action plan is based on a climate scenario without additional global climate protection measures.

National Center for Climate Services (NCCS): Risiken und Chancen des Klimawandels