Volt says YES to the Biodiversity Initiative
Biodiversity is essential for long-term prosperity and quality of life in Switzerland and worldwide. Due to various threats, including climate change and the intensive use of natural resources, biodiversity is severely endangered. We at Volt support the Biodiversity Initiative to promote effective measures for protecting biodiversity and to secure natural foundations.
In gardens, bees buzz; in forests, foxes meet deer, and the soil is full of activity. These lively examples show just a small part of our diverse biodiversity. However, this diversity is under pressure. Biodiversity includes not only animals but also plants, forests, and meadows, which give us oxygen and food. Considering the current biodiversity crisis, which affects our lives directly and indirectly, it is very important to protect it.
Causes of the Biodiversity Crisis
Volt believes in addressing problems at their roots. Treating symptoms may help in the short term but does not solve long-term and structural issues. Therefore, it is important to study the causes and effects of the biodiversity crisis and take targeted action.
According to the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), biodiversity in Switzerland is in a very poor state. The 2016 Red List and the fast rate of global species extinction show this problem. Species are currently dying out 10-100 times faster than the average of the last ten million years., The main cause of this is human use of natural resources, especially intensive land use for agriculture, forestry, and urbanization. These activities lead to air, water, and soil pollution, which harm habitats. Global warming makes this situation even worse.
In Switzerland, isolated nature reserves mainly help to conserve biodiversity. However, the lack of connection between these areas reduces their effectiveness. Still waters, shores and wetlands, and flowing waters are especially affected by the biodiversity crisis. Progress in water protection is urgently needed.
Importance of Biodiversity
Biodiversity affects us in almost all areas of life, including food. A decline in pollinators would not only lead to lower crop yields but also significantly reduce the variety of our food. While cereals do not rely on pollinators, many fruits would be heavily affected. This would not cause food shortages in Switzerland but would greatly reduce our choices.
Besides food variety, pollinators also help maintain biodiversity and ecosystem stability. This stability is crucial because ecosystems have tipping points, which, if reached, can cause the entire system to collapse., Strong biodiversity increases the resilience of ecosystems and protects us from potential catastrophic consequences.
The importance of biodiversity extends from protecting our ecosystems and thus our livelihoods to the drinking water supply and the variety of plants we can grow. Not protecting biodiversity means not protecting Switzerland's beautiful nature, our livelihood, and the future of the country. Therefore, urgent action is needed to address the existing deficit in Switzerland.
The Biodiversity Initiative
Switzerland has not yet achieved its biodiversity goals and international commitments. By 2020, 17% of the country's area should have been under protection, but it was only 13.4%. None of the biodiversity goals set in 2011 for 2020 were fully achieved. The Biodiversity Initiative aims to intensify nature conservation and ensure that the federal government and cantons provide the necessary areas, resources, and tools to protect biodiversity. Despite the wide scope for action, there is a risk that too few concrete measures will be taken. Additionally, the initiative could make it harder to expand renewable energy sources.
Volt's Position
We are aware of these risks. Nevertheless, healthy biodiversity is the foundation for long-term prosperity in Switzerland. It is possible to balance the expansion of renewable energy with nature conservation. This requires careful planning and possibly some compromises. The initiative does not call for Switzerland to become a large nature park but for a minimum level of nature conservation to be ensured. This is necessary not only in Switzerland but also across Europe. Therefore, Volt supports the protection of biodiversity in over 30 countries.