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Bachelor Thesis: Overview of agricultural climate policies in Switzerland
This Bachelor thesis aims at providing an overview of current agricultural climate policies in Switzerland and their possible impacts on reduction of GHG emissions on farms. The thesis is based on a literature review.
To reach climate change mitigation goals under the Paris Agreement, many countries including Switzerland plan to reduce their net carbon emissions to zero by 2050. Since agricultural production contributes around 12 percent to global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (IPCC, 2019), agricultural policies take part of the responsibility to reach overall emissions reduction goals. Accordingly, article 2bbis. 6 of the Federal Act on Agriculture states that the Confederation shall take measures “to promote […] climate friendly production” (LwG, 2019).
However, despite the climate strategy launched by the Federal Office for Agriculture (BLW, 2011), agricultural policies do not precisely target a reduction of GHG emissions. Neither is there a separate legislative (nor a separate chapter in existing regulations) on agricultural climate mitigation. Nevertheless, several agricultural policies are in force to generally reduce emissions from agriculture, and thus also (directly or indirectly) contribute to a more climate friendly agricultural production. Examples for such policies are direct payments for emissions reducing fertilizer application or careful tillage such as direct drilling (DZV, 2019).
Moreover, climate change mitigation initiatives by farmers or private organizations get public support, e.g. the local initiative “AgroCO2ncept Flaachtal” is being funded within the Resource Program of the Federal Office for Agriculture. Other examples are the so-called “Punktesystem Klimaschutz” by the producers’ organization IP Suisse as well as the association of “Agrocleantech” chaired by the Swiss farmers Union.
To reach climate change mitigation goals under the Paris Agreement, many countries including Switzerland plan to reduce their net carbon emissions to zero by 2050. Since agricultural production contributes around 12 percent to global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (IPCC, 2019), agricultural policies take part of the responsibility to reach overall emissions reduction goals. Accordingly, article 2bbis. 6 of the Federal Act on Agriculture states that the Confederation shall take measures “to promote […] climate friendly production” (LwG, 2019). However, despite the climate strategy launched by the Federal Office for Agriculture (BLW, 2011), agricultural policies do not precisely target a reduction of GHG emissions. Neither is there a separate legislative (nor a separate chapter in existing regulations) on agricultural climate mitigation. Nevertheless, several agricultural policies are in force to generally reduce emissions from agriculture, and thus also (directly or indirectly) contribute to a more climate friendly agricultural production. Examples for such policies are direct payments for emissions reducing fertilizer application or careful tillage such as direct drilling (DZV, 2019). Moreover, climate change mitigation initiatives by farmers or private organizations get public support, e.g. the local initiative “AgroCO2ncept Flaachtal” is being funded within the Resource Program of the Federal Office for Agriculture. Other examples are the so-called “Punktesystem Klimaschutz” by the producers’ organization IP Suisse as well as the association of “Agrocleantech” chaired by the Swiss farmers Union.
The goal of this Bachelor thesis is to get an overview of existing agricultural policies and public (financial) support for measures to reduce climate relevant emissions on Swiss farms (mainly CO2, CH4 and N2O). If possible, the impact of these policies should be considered as well. The focus is on a literature review.
**References**
BLW (2011). Klimastrategie Landwirtschaft (Bundesamt für Landwirtschaft (BLW) - Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture, ed.), Bern, Switzerland.
DZV (2019). Verordnung über die Direktzahlungen an die Landwirtschaft In "SR 910.13", Bern, Switzerland.
IPCC (2019). " Climate Change and Land, an IPCC special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems.."
LwG (2019). Bundesgesetz über die Landwirtschaft (Landwirtschaftsgesetz) (B. d. S. Eidgenossenschaft, ed.).
The goal of this Bachelor thesis is to get an overview of existing agricultural policies and public (financial) support for measures to reduce climate relevant emissions on Swiss farms (mainly CO2, CH4 and N2O). If possible, the impact of these policies should be considered as well. The focus is on a literature review.
**References**
BLW (2011). Klimastrategie Landwirtschaft (Bundesamt für Landwirtschaft (BLW) - Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture, ed.), Bern, Switzerland.
DZV (2019). Verordnung über die Direktzahlungen an die Landwirtschaft In "SR 910.13", Bern, Switzerland.
IPCC (2019). " Climate Change and Land, an IPCC special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems.."
LwG (2019). Bundesgesetz über die Landwirtschaft (Landwirtschaftsgesetz) (B. d. S. Eidgenossenschaft, ed.).
Cordelia Kreft, Agricultural Economcis and Policy Group, ETH Zurich
Email: ckreft@ethz.ch
Cordelia Kreft, Agricultural Economcis and Policy Group, ETH Zurich Email: ckreft@ethz.ch