26% of Swiss Population Never Fly, Showing Increased Environmental Awareness
KEY TAKEAWAYS
A survey by the Swiss Statistical Institute has shown that people are increasingly becoming more climate-conscious, which is being reflected in declining airport use.
Despite heightened awareness, the survey reveals little progress in other eco-friendly behaviours, such as energy conservation, reduced consumption, and organic product purchases, which have remained largely unchanged since 2019.
Although Swiss are becoming more environmentally friendly, a majority of Swiss residents still rely heavily on air travel, resulting in substantial CO2 emissions.
A Federal Statistical Office (FSO) survey found that nine in ten people in Switzerland are becoming more environmentally friendly, with the most progress being noticed in their travel choices.
The survey of 3,000 respondents revealed that 26 per cent of respondents said they never fly by plane when travelling, indicating that some 2.2 million people in the country withhold their travel plans if an airplane is involved.
These rates represent a significant change, considering that in 2019, the share of people refusing to fly was 20 per cent. During this four-year period, the Swiss have become increasingly aware of climate change and environmental issues.
FSO Reveals Swiss’ Serious Climate Awareness & Green Action Exists… Only on Paper
FSO itself points out that the enthusiasm noticed among the Swiss population towards a greener society does not necessarily reflect on their actions.
The survey reveals that the number of people who said they use less energy, buy fewer appliances and opt for more organic products in the market remains nearly the same as in 2019, showing almost no progress.
In addition, 12 per cent of the Swiss population says they continue consuming meat – a known factor for generating methane, the most potent of the greenhouse gases, compared to 11 per cent that have meat once a week and six per cent that do not consume the product at all.
Swiss Hold Themselves in High Regard: 49% Believe They Are Becoming More Environmentally Friendly
FSO findings also show that 49 per cent of respondents believe that the Swiss population is becoming more environmentally friendly, while 41.4 per cent of respondents reported that warm temperatures in winter and unstable weather were signs of significant climate change. Another 47.7 per cent believe that the climate is changing more gradually.
Despite the gradual change, a majority of people still report using the plane frequently. More specifically, 0.4 per cent of respondents say they have at least one flight a week, 0.9 per cent fly several times a month, 21.3 per cent fly several times a year and just over half fly once a year or less. As I Am Expat Switzerland reports, while the use of Swiss airports is declining, international flights to and from Switzerland still generate roughly 5.7 million tonnes of CO2 every year.
In a region like Switzerland, which is known for its majestic glaciers, the additional 5.7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions could contribute to accelerated glacial melting. This could lead to reduced water availability for communities and agriculture, altered river flow patterns, and increased risk of glacial lake outburst floods.