Position
The climate crisis is getting more severe every year. Forest fires, droughts and extreme heat cost lives, destroy livelihoods and force people to flee. This cannot continue! But how does Switzerland act?
Switzerland is fighting migration instead of the climate crisis.
In 2020, Switzerland paid 209 million into funds that are supposed to provide financial resources for those people who are already suffering from the effects of the climate crisis and to mitigate the effects of the crisis. In the same year, it invested many times that amount in anti-migration projects. Switzerland spent around 449 million on fortifying and arming its borders.
This is well in line with the European trend: the fight against people fleeing war, oppression and poverty is worth more to Europe than the fight against the destruction of everyone’s livelihood.
The climate crisis is the result of colonial exploitation.
The Global North – and with it Switzerland – has been fuelling the climate crisis for over two hundred years. In order to get their hands on oil, coal, gas and other resources, European and Swiss companies exploit people all over the world and destroy entire ecosystems. The wealth of the fossil industry follows directly from the destruction of our livelihoods.
At the same time, the consequences of the climate crisis have the strongest impact in the regions that are exploited by the Global North. The regions where floods, droughts and heat waves are already threatening millions of lives are also the ones where there is also the most destruction, displacement and exploitation.
The criminalisation of migration strengthens colonial power structures.
With the bogus argument of “security”, Switzerland supports the armament and militarisation of Fortress Europe and criminalises migration. Thousands of migrants die every year on life-threatening migration routes or are isolated, abused and worn down in inhumane camps. Countless people have to suffer in order to maintain the financial and political power of Switzerland and Europe.
The problem is called capitalism.
The cause of flight, the climate crisis and the exploitation of people and nature lies in our global economic system. In order to earn billions with oil, coal and gas, the fossil industry drives people away and destroys ecosystems. Arms corporations continue to earn money by fighting those people who have been deprived of their livelihood.
To increase their profits, the fossil fuel and arms industries trample on the right to life and self-determination of millions of people.
This must end!
We demand:
- Solidarity instead of barbed wire: the redistribution of funds which are currently spent on anti-migration and militarisation projects towards investments in climate justice.
- Freedom of movement for all: safe escape routes and an end to the criminalisation of migration to Europe.
- An immediate and drastic reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. As a contributor to the climate crisis, Switzerland must reduce its emissions to net zero as soon as possible and stop investing in fossil fuels.
- The unconditional abolition of all debts of the Global South and real reparations for the damage caused by Switzerland.