Central Swiss players networking for Agenda 2030
Lucerne - More than 100 participants have discussed the opportunities and obstacles to Switzerland’s climate goals at the second symposium of the Nachhaltigkeitsnetzwerk Zentralschweiz (Central Swiss Sustainability Network). Various aspects of climate change were discussed from the viewpoints of research, economics, and the Federal Government.
According to ROI Online, the economic portal of Central Switzerland, there was a broad consensus among the participants of the second symposium of the Nachhaltigkeitsnetzwerk Zentralschweiz in Lucerne: a change in values and stance in both the economy and society are needed to combat climate change.
In presentations, workshops, and a podium discussion, the organizers aimed to connect players from the most diverse areas of society with regard to Agenda 2030. For example, the perspective of the Federal Government was represented by Daniel Dubas, delegate for Agenda 2030. Among other things, he referred to the online toolbox for the Agenda, which provides cantons and communities with sustainability project success stories. A similar toolbox is also in development for SMEs.
The perspective of the economy was represented by Adrian Derungs, Head of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Central Switzerland, among other representatives. He also appealed for a change in values. Additionally, Max Renggli, sustainable construction pioneer and winner of Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 in the family business category, added that every single player needed “more courage, clear requirements and criteria from the Federal Government, and at the same time a reduction in unnecessary bureaucracy”.
Co-author of the 2002 report “Climate Risk Management in Swiss and German Companies” Nadine Berchtold from the Institute of Financial Services Zug (IFZ) at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts demonstrated that large companies have greater resources for dealing with climate change than SMEs. She added that this is why they tend to see more opportunities in this area than smaller companies.
