Thousands protest inaction over climate crisis in Switzerland

Several thousand individuals marched through the Swiss cities of Geneva and Lausanne on Saturday to voice their discontent with government inaction regarding the climate crisis. This protest was organized by a coalition of over a hundred associations and political parties under the slogan "No 50-degree summers!" People of all ages participated in the demonstration, displaying placards with messages such as "No Planet B" and "We're cooked!" in Lausanne, organizers reported an attendance of at least 8,000 participants.

One marcher, 31-year-old union activist Guillaume Matthey, expressed hope that this event marked the beginning of a new wave of popular mobilization to pressure Swiss political and financial leaders to take action against the climate crisis. Already in 2024, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Switzerland was not doing enough to combat climate change, marking the first time an international court had taken legal action against a country on this matter.

Participants highlighted the severe impact of the ongoing heatwave on their daily lives. A 60-year-old man named Yves Froidevaux stated that it was time for authorities to act, emphasizing that it was unacceptable to finance weapons while neglecting other critical issues. Meanwhile, a 47-year-old actor, Vincent Fontannaz, dressed as a giant drop of water, pointed out the lack of water this summer, not just for recreational purposes, but for agriculture and ultimately, survival.

Architecture student Laurent Guidetti, dressed in a gas mask made from plastic bottles, highlighted the lack of cooling in his apartment, emphasizing the difficulties faced by those without adequate insulation. He expressed concern for the elderly and those without access to cooling systems, warning that future summers with higher temperatures could be particularly challenging.

Following the Saturday demonstrations, organizers have called for additional protests in several Swiss cities over the coming weeks until October 2. The extreme heatwaves experienced during the Swiss summer forced the closure of a nuclear power station and resulted in record low water levels in Lake Zurich.