Climate Change

Switzerland

Switzerland unlocks CHF70 million to address drought damage

The Federal Council has approved CHF70 million in emergency support for farms and forests affected by Switzerland’s exceptional drought. This article should explain where the money will go and why the government considers the 2026 dry spell unprecedented.

Le News

Switzerland

Three-quarters of Swiss say extreme summer heat has taken a toll

A new survey finds that 74% of Swiss residents experienced the summer heat as trying, with sleep and other physical problems widespread. The findings offer a timely account of how extreme temperatures are affecting daily life and public attitudes.

SWI swissinfo.ch

Climate Change

Record Summer Heat Forces Widespread Adaptation in Swiss Society

Intense summer heat is prompting significant changes across Switzerland, with over half the population altering holiday plans according to a new survey. Meanwhile, teachers' unions are demanding urgent adaptations for school buildings ill-equipped to handle high temperatures.

The Local Switzerland · +2 more

Environment

The severe drought across Switzerland has pushed Lake Zurich to its lowest water level since records began. The crisis is also forcing farmers in multiple cantons to bring their cattle down from Alpine pastures prematurely due to a lack of water and fodder.

SWI swissinfo.ch · +1 more

Environment

The bodies of two Belgian mountaineers, who went missing in 1992, have been discovered in the retreating Trift Glacier in canton Valais. The finding is a stark reminder of the accelerating impact of climate change on the Swiss Alps.

The Local Switzerland · +1 more

Climate Change

An in-depth look at the widespread consequences of the 2026 heatwave across Switzerland, from an unprecedentedly early grape harvest and struggling cheese producers to dangerously warm lakes and calls for climate-adapted schools.

The Local Switzerland · +4 more

Climate Change

An in-depth look at the compounding effects of the 2026 heatwave and drought across Switzerland, from unprecedented early grape harvests and struggling cheese producers to government aid debates and calls for a national urban heat strategy.

SWI swissinfo.ch · +4 more

Environment

A new survey reveals a surprising trend: as Switzerland experiences a severe heatwave, with Locarno breaking records for 'tropical nights', Swiss consumers' concern for the climate crisis is decreasing. This comes as cantons like Vaud and Geneva reactivate emergency heatwave plans.

SWI swissinfo.ch · +2 more

Climate Change

As Switzerland endures intense heatwaves, a new Comparis survey reveals a surprising trend: four in five Swiss adults say the climate crisis has little to no influence on their spending, a share that has increased over the past seven years.

SWI swissinfo.ch

Environment

Environment Minister Albert Rösti admitted that Switzerland will struggle to meet its 2030 emissions reduction target, pointing to the high cost of purchasing foreign emissions credits in the current budgetary climate.

The Local Switzerland · +1 more

Environment

Environment Minister Albert Rösti has stated that Switzerland will struggle to meet its 2030 emissions reduction targets due to budget constraints, raising questions about the nation's climate strategy amidst a summer of extreme weather.

SWI swissinfo.ch

Environment

A severe heatwave and persistent drought are reshaping the Swiss summer, forcing the cancellation of music festivals, threatening Alpine farms, bringing an end to summer skiing on the Zermatt glacier, and paradoxically boosting tourism to cooler mountain railways. This article explores the widespread consequences of the extreme weather across the country.

SWI swissinfo.ch · +3 more

Drought

From suspending summer skiing on Zermatt's melting glacier to farmers launching emergency online fodder exchanges, the persistent high temperatures and lack of rain in summer 2026 are causing widespread disruption across Switzerland.

SWI swissinfo.ch · +3 more

Agriculture

As drought withers pastures, farmers in Zurich and Schaffhausen are launching an online marketplace for animal feed. The initiative aims to connect arable farms with livestock farms in need of fodder, preventing the premature slaughter of cattle and addressing the feed shortages caused by the extreme weather.

SWI swissinfo.ch

Weather

The summer of 2026 is shaping up to be at least as hot as the record-breaking summer of 2003, according to MeteoSwiss. The Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology stated that the current conditions should be classified as exceptional, with some weather stations already exceeding 2003's number of hot days.

The Local Switzerland · +1 more

Environment

While maintaining its overall net-zero goal for 2040, Swiss Post has announced it will postpone its targets for capturing and storing CO2 emissions, citing a slower-than-anticipated development in the carbon capture market.

SWI swissinfo.ch

Environment

As Switzerland records its highest temperature of 2026 amid a fourth summer heatwave, severe drought conditions have forced cantons like Basel City to cancel traditional August 1st fireworks, raising concerns about public safety and the nation's energy demands for cooling.

SWI swissinfo.ch · +2 more

Climate Change

Switzerland is grappling with a new, intense heatwave that is breaking temperature records and pushing power grids to their limit due to increased demand for air conditioning. The severe drought also threatens Swiss National Day celebrations and has caused reservoir levels to drop significantly.

The Local Switzerland · +4 more

Environment

Switzerland is on high alert as sparse rainfall and another intense heatwave lead to drought conditions and unusually low water reserves. The weather is impacting agriculture, with an earlier grape harvest expected, and creating new energy challenges as the demand for air conditioning soars.

The Local Switzerland · +10 more