Switzerland: Federal Council adopts amended Climate Protection Ordinance

The amendments to the Climate Protection Ordinance, which include a chapter dedicated to the exemplary role of the Swiss Confederation and other public authorities, were adopted by the Federal Council on 9 September 2026.

These new provisions will come into force on 1 November 2026.

In the chapter entitled ‘The exemplary role of the Confederation and the cantons’, the ordinance sets out “which departments must reduce or offset emissions - using negative-emission technologies (NETs) - and which emissions within what timeframes, in order to fulfil their role as role models”, states the explanatory note.

Thus, the law stipulates that the central federal administration must achieve net zero by 2040, taking into account upstream and downstream emissions.

“Just as in the private sector, the…