A study published this week estimates 60% of heat wave deaths in Switzerland in 2022 were the result of human-induced climate change. The authors estimated that 370 of the 623 deaths due to heat between June and August 2022 were due to human-induced climate change. These additional deaths represent 3.5% of all deaths. The estimate […]
Strong opposition to any toll for Gotthard tunnel
The government of the canton of Ticino is strongly opposed to tolls for the Gotthard road tunnel, reported RTS this week. The idea of charging a toll for the highly congested Gotthard tunnel linking Ticino, which lies south of the Alps, to the rest of Switzerland, has been discussed for some time. In a public […]
Green light given for solar panels on Swiss motorways
This week, FEDRO, Switzerland’s federal road authority, gave a green light to install solar panels along the edges of motorways and on the roofs of buildings at motorway rest areas. More than 400 groups of solar panels will be installed on the federal road network’s 350 noise barriers and 100 roadside roofs over the next […]
Brienz rock slide – residents allowed back to stay
On 3 July 2023, the municipality announced that the residents of the village of Brienz, who have lived under the cloud of a potentially catastrophic rock slide for many months, could move back into the village to stay. After a huge rock fall on 15 June 2023, the municipality announced on 22 June 2023 that […]
New gondola connects Switzerland and Italy
On 1 July 2023, a new gondola connecting Switzerland and Italy was opened. The new high altitude cable car, which connects the Kleiner Matterhorn (3,821m) with the Testa Grigia (3,458m) spans the border between two nations. The lift cabins have glass floors allowing occupants a birds eye view over the Theodul glacier. In winter it […]
Environment – no heating system subsidies before 2025
On 18 June 2023, Swiss voters passed a package of emission cutting actions, among them subsidies to incentivise home owners to change fossil fuel heating systems. This week, Albert Rösti, Switzerland’s energy minister, unveiled dates for the expected roll out of the plan, reported SRF. Subsidies should be available from the beginning of 2025. The […]
Swiss Post announces higher prices
This week, Swiss Post announced it would increase the cost of sending letters and parcels from the beginning of 2024. At the beginning of 2024, nearly everything is set to rise in price as the Swiss VAT rate jumps from 7.7% to 8%. In addition, more and more companies are joining the party, pushing up […]
Swiss inflation down in June but more in pipeline
Data released on 3 July 2023 showed year-on-year inflation in June falling to 1.7%, down from 2.2% the month before. During the month of June 2023, prices rose 0.1%, which translates to an annualised rate of 1.2%, well below the Swiss National Bank (SNB) target rate of 2%. Underlying inflation, which strips out volatile elements […]
FILM: LAND OF DREAMS – Can you recall your last dream?
7 July 2023. By Neptune LAND OF DREAMS ***1/2 By the renowned Iranian artist and filmmaker Shirin Neshat, who lives in the U.S., this intriguing film is about peoples’ dreams. Neshat goes about it in her usual mysterious, artistic style, creating a young Iranian girl (Sheila Vand) who is working for the U.S. Census Bureau. […]
How Switzerland’s best river swim became a summertime commute
Most people float down the Aare River in Bern just for fun. For Evelyn Schneider-Reyes, it was her summertime commute home. “I only had like 30 seconds walking from my office to the river,” she recalls. “I had an ‘Aare Bag’, where I put all my clothes, my smartphone, wallet and shoes. I put on […]
