Swiss Biodiversity Strategy 2012–2020

Swiss Biodiversity Strategy 2012–2020
Title	Swiss Biodiversity Strategy 2012–2020
Jurisdiction	Switzerland
Adopted	2012
Period	2012–2020
Responsible	Federal Office for the Environment (Switzerland)
Status	Completed

Swiss Biodiversity Strategy 2012–2020 was a national plan adopted in 2012 by Switzerland to implement international commitments and to coordinate conservation across cantons and sectors. It sought to translate obligations under multilateral instruments into cantonal action, aligning with instruments such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and the Aarhus Convention. The Strategy connected federal bodies, cantonal authorities, research institutions, and NGOs including Swiss National Park, WWF Switzerland, and the Pro Natura foundation to conserve species, habitats, and ecosystem services.

Background and objectives

The Strategy originated from Switzerland’s obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity and was motivated by biodiversity targets set at the Nagoya Protocol negotiations and the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 agreed at the Nagoya conference. It aimed to halt biodiversity loss by 2020 through measures addressing pressures identified in national reports to the Conference of the Parties to the CBD. Primary objectives included conserving species listed under the Bern Convention, restoring habitats referenced in inventories like the Federal Inventory of Landscapes and Natural Monuments (BLN), and maintaining ecosystem services valued by stakeholders such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature partners in Switzerland. The Strategy framed goals compatible with the European Union directives that affect cross-border conservation, such as the Habitat Directive and the Birds Directive, insofar as bilateral agreements with the European Commission and neighboring states require coordination.

Policy framework and legal basis

Legally, the Strategy built on provisions in the Swiss Federal Constitution and laws administered by the Federal Office for the Environment (Switzerland), referencing instruments like the Nature and Cultural Heritage Protection Act (Switzerland) and the Environmental Protection Act (Switzerland). It interfaced with sectoral statutes such as those governing agriculture under the Federal Office for Agriculture (Switzerland), and statutes influencing forestry managed by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL). Internationally, the Strategy implemented commitments under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora obligations administered by Swiss customs and scientific authorities. Coordination mechanisms involved the Federal Council (Switzerland) and cantonal councils to ensure coherence with planning law and spatial development overseen by the Federal Office for Spatial Development.

Key measures and implementation

Implementation combined regulatory, incentive-based, and stewardship measures. Regulatory measures reinforced protection of areas listed in the Federal Inventory of Raised and Transitional Bogs and riparian corridors recognized under bilateral river commissions such as those for the Rhine and Lake Geneva. Incentives included agri-environment schemes funded through direct payments administered by the Federal Office for Agriculture (Switzerland) and biodiversity offsets coordinated with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation where applicable. Restoration projects engaged research institutions like the ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich to pilot rewilding and connectivity measures connecting fragmented habitats across cantons, leveraging programs similar to those in Alpine Convention frameworks. Measures targeted priority species on the Red List (Switzerland) with action plans developed by the Swiss Ornithological Institute and herbarium collections at the Naturhistorisches Museum Basel.

Monitoring, reporting, and evaluation

Monitoring relied on national inventories and surveillance coordinated by the Federal Office for the Environment (Switzerland), involving partners such as the Swiss Biodiversity Monitoring (BDM) program and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology style collaborations with European networks. Reporting to international fora occurred through submissions to the Convention on Biological Diversity and participation in assessment processes by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Evaluation used indicators aligned with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and national targets embedded in the Strategy; data sources included the Swiss Land Use Statistics and long-term ecological research sites managed by the Swiss Long-Term Forest Ecosystem Research (LWF) network. Independent review panels with experts from University of Bern and University of Lausanne contributed to mid-term appraisals.

Stakeholder engagement and funding

The Strategy emphasized multi-stakeholder processes involving cantonal administrations, municipalities like Geneva, private landowners, and NGOs such as BirdLife International partners in Switzerland. Stakeholder engagement was facilitated through platforms that included representatives from the Swiss Farmers' Union and business groups coordinating with the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) on ecosystem service valuation. Funding combined federal budgets, cantonal co-financing, measures under the Swiss climate policy framework when co-benefits arose, and private funding mobilized through foundations like the Novartis Stiftung model and corporate partnerships with firms headquartered in Basel and Zurich. International cooperation leveraged bilateral programs with neighboring states and contributions to multilateral funds, with technical support from institutions such as the World Wide Fund for Nature.

Outcomes and impact (2012–2020)

By 2020, outcomes included expanded protection of certain BLN sites and targeted recovery measures for species such as migrant birds monitored by the Swiss Ornithological Institute, though national assessments showed mixed progress relative to the Aichi Targets. Monitoring indicated stabilization for some taxa recorded in the Red List (Switzerland) but continued declines for others tied to land-use change noted in Swiss Land Use Statistics. The Strategy improved institutional coordination among the Federal Office for the Environment (Switzerland), cantons, and research bodies like WSL, and generated best-practice guidance used by municipalities such as Bern and Lausanne for green infrastructure. Lessons informed successor planning and contributed to Switzerland’s reporting at the CBD COP meetings and ongoing participation in European biodiversity initiatives.

Category:Environment of Switzerland