Browse Big-E

Switzerland commits to reduce food waste in the tourism sector. The commitment falls under focus areas 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9. It is relevant to SDG 12. Partners include Hotellerie Suisse and GastroSuisse. The commitment is part of the Nicosia call 2022.

Switzerland commits to launch and implement the sustainability program ‘Swisstainable’. The commitment falls under focus areas 1, 4, 9. It is relevant to SDG 12. Partners include Switzerland Tourism and Swiss Tourist Federation. The commitment is part of the Nicosia call 2022.

Switzerland commits to mitigate and adapt to climate change in the Swiss Tourism Policy, by promoting sustainable tourism mobility and sustainable destinations. The commitment falls under focus areas 2, 4, 5, 8. It is relevant to SDGs 11 and 13. The commitment is part of the Nicosia call 2022.

Switzerland commits to preserving and valorising architectural heritage, landscape quality and biodiversity in the Swiss Tourism Policy. High-quality landscapes and architectural heritage are key to making Switzerland an attractive and productive tourist destination. This requires coordination and cooperation between the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs and other sectoral policies, specifically with the Federal Office for the Environment and the Federal Office of Culture. Hence, these offices of three different Federal Departments work together to enhance knowledge-building and exchange as well as to plan and execute projects to preserve and valorise architectural heritage, landscape quality and biodiversity. There are also plans to improve measurability and monitoring. The commitment falls under focus areas 1, 3, 4, 9. It is relevant to SDGs 9, 11, 15. Partners include the Federal Office for the Environment, Federal Office of Culture and Swiss Parks. The commitment is part of the Nicosia call 2022.

Switzerland commits to develop instruments for the sustainable management of public infrastructure and real estate. The commitment falls under focus areas 3, 4, 8. It is relevant to SDGs 9, 11, 12. Partners include the Conference for the Coordination of Building and Construction Services of Public Owners (KBOB) and the Sustainable Construction Network Switzerland (NNBS). The commitment is part of the Nicosia call 2022.

Switzerland commits to support the development of the Hydropower Sustainability Standard and its deployment in priority countries of the Swiss development cooperation. The Hydropower Sustainability Standard certification system was launched in September 2021. The support focuses on capacity development to sustainably plan, implement and operate sustainable hydropower plants in four selected priority countries (Albania, Colombia, Indonesia, and Tajikistan) and on the co-financing of sustainability assessments in priority countries of the Swiss development cooperation. It also aims to develop opportunities for climate finance investment in hydropower projects. The commitment falls under focus areas 2, 3, 8. It is relevant to SDG 9. The commitment is part of the Nicosia call 2022.

Switzerland commits to strengthen the skills needed to develop and construct green buildings through a programme implemented by the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The commitment falls under focus areas 7, 8, 9. It is relevant to SDGs 6, 7, 9, 13. Partners include the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The commitment is part of the Nicosia call 2022.

Switzerland commits to set up an inter-ministerial coordination unit to support participation of Swiss companies in infrastructure projects abroad and promote the use of high sustainability standards. The coordination unit will better connect stakeholders, and, in particular, promote the use of high sustainability standards like the SuRe Standard and the upcoming Sustainable Infrastructure Label from FAST Infra, in the planification, realisation and maintenance of infrastructures. The commitment falls under focus areas 4, 5, 7 and 8. It is relevant to SDG 9. Partners include the Climate Policy Initiative and Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation. The commitment is part of the Nicosia call 2022.

Switzerland commits to supporting a National Resource Efficiency Network for small- and medium-sized enterprises. The national resource efficiency network (Reffnet.ch) was established by the Swiss government, private companies, and the scientific community. Reffnet.ch provides analytical tools to assess resource efficiency – especially material efficiency - and to realise the recognised potentials. The website provides practical measures for companies to make a positive impact on environment and resource protection. Furthermore, the network initiates innovation projects to increase resource efficiency. The commitment will result in the improvement of companies’ resource-efficiency, reduction of material use, energy and costs. It will also result in social benefits through improvements in occupational health and safety.

The commitment falls under focus area 1 and 5 of the Batumi Initiative to develop clean physical capital for sustainable production patterns; and improve the measurement and valuation of natural capital.

Switzerland commits to improve the efficiency of waste treatment plants. It will achieve this through the improvements in the energy efficiency of municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWI). This improvement has already been prescribed by a minimal energy efficiency factor in the recently revised ordinance on waste. Recovered thermal energy can be used directly for district heating networks or for the production of electricity. Additionally, Switzerland will improve the recovery of rare metals from these plants. Residues of the waste incineration as bottom ash or fly ash still contain a considerable amount of various metals. Whereas the recovery of scrap iron is realised in every incineration plant in Switzerland, the recovery of non-iron metals such as aluminium, copper and brass requires new technologies that are now being implemented. The new ordinance of waste contains regulations on the extraction and recycling of metals from incineration residues.

The commitment falls under focus area 2 of the Batumi Initiative to promote the internalisation of negative externalities and the sustainable use of natural capital.