‘No 50-degree summers!’: Thousands march in Switzerland over climate inaction

LAUSANNE, Sept 20 — Thousands of people marched in the Swiss cities of Geneva and Lausanne to express their concern over government inaction on global warming. The demonstrations were organized by a coalition of over a hundred associations and political parties under the slogan “No 50-degree summers!” People of all ages participated, holding signs with phrases like “No Planet B” and “We're cooked!”

AFP journalists reported. The largest rally was in Lausanne, where organizers claimed at least 8,000 individuals took part. Guillaume Matthey, a 31-year-old union activist, told AFP that he hoped this event marked the beginning of a new wave of popular mobilization to pressure political and financial leaders for their lack of action on climate change.

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 a stance on this issue. "It's time for our authorities to act," said a 60-year-old participant named Yves Froidevaux. "We can't finance weapons and then ignore everything else — that's not right."

Vincent Fontannaz, a 47-year-old actor, dressed up as a giant drop of water to highlight the severe water shortage experienced this summer. "It's not just about swimming pools; it's about agriculture and our very survival," he added. 55-year-old architect Laurent Guidetti, sporting a gas mask made from plastic bottles, spoke of his concerns for those less fortunate.

"It's going to be tough for them," he said. Even if people survive this summer's heatwaves, he remained uncertain about future summers with higher temperatures. Following the demonstrations, more protests are planned in several Swiss cities until October 2. Switzerland's recent heatwaves led to the shutdown of a nuclear power plant and caused record low water levels in Lake Zurich.