The picture of Switzerland as a haven of pristine nature no longer corresponds to reality. Biodiversity loss in the Alpine country is above the world average, and over a third of animal and plant species are endangered. So how can this trend be reversed? The state of biodiversity in Switzerland is “unsatisfactory” and the situation keeps getting worse. Such is the verdict not of nature conservation organisations but of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). Loss of biological diversity represents “a serious danger to our prosperity and quality of life”, the agency warns. Almost half of all natural habitats are disappearing. Of the roughly 11,000 animal, plant and fungus species studied in Switzerland (out of a total of some 56,000 known species), 35% are at risk of extinction, according to the Red List drawn up by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Biodiversity initiative The popular initiative launched by environmental and land protection ...
