Switzerland has taken significant strides in promoting environmental innovation as the Federal Council recently approved a report highlighting the country’s achievements from 2017 to 2021. With an investment of 21.4 million Swiss francs, the government supported a total of 172 projects during this period, resulting in notable reductions in pollution and improved resource efficiency in businesses.

The report, titled “Environmental Technology Promotion 2017-2021,” demonstrates Switzerland’s commitment to sustainability.

78% of the funding (16.7 million Swiss francs) was allocated to pilot and demonstration projects in key environmental areas such as waste management, recycling, air and water quality, climate change, noise reduction, soil protection, brownfield redevelopment, biodiversity, and hazard prevention.

One notable achievement was the development of innovative combustion plant technology. It enables compliance with air pollution regulations without costly filters or wood pre-drying, reducing energy consumption and resource usage. Another successful project involved a process that captures and stores CO2 as limestone in recycled concrete aggregate, providing a negative emission technology (NET) solution.

The government aims to continue supporting environmental technology promotion. A commitment credit of 21.5 million Swiss francs has been proposed for 2024-2028, including repayments from successful projects based on generated revenue.

An external evaluation in 2022 confirmed the effectiveness of these initiatives. To improve future projects, measures will be implemented for better project assessment and targeted engagement with beneficiaries.

Switzerland’s dedication to environmental technology promotion fosters a sustainable future. The accomplishments from 2017-2021 lay the foundation for further progress in resource efficiency and conservation.

Link to the news source