"Fake news and blah blah blah" Rösti and Mazzone give each other a hard time in the SRF arena

In the "Arena", Green Party President Lisa Mazzone sharply attacks Federal Councillor Albert Rösti. He retorts just as sharply. The pro and con camps of the climate fund initiative still don't come any closer together.

How much should climate protection cost and where should the money come from? This is the core of the discussion surrounding the climate fund initiative, which Switzerland will decide on at the ballot box on March 8. It is also reflected in the SRF "Arena" with Environment Minister Albert Rösti and Green Party President Lisa Mazzone as the central representatives of the two camps.

The supporters of the initiative are convinced that too little money for the fight against climate change will end up costing Switzerland more. They are represented in the ring by Green Party President Lisa Mazzone, SP Co-President Cedric Wermuth and EPP National Councillor Marc Jost.

The Contra camp, on the other hand, sees the state finances at risk if the federal government were to invest the amount of money in climate protection that the initiative demands, namely 0.5 to 1 percent of gross domestic product. This would currently amount to between CHF 4 and 8 billion per year. Federal Councillor Albert Rösti is at the forefront, flanked by Jacqueline de Quattro, National Councillor FDP/VD and Nicole Barandun, Central National Councillor and President of the Zurich Trade Association.

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When things get heated between Mazzone and Rösti

Mazzone and Rösti clashed most violently. The party president without a parliamentary mandate accuses the environment minister of consistently underplaying the financial requirements of climate protection. The latter counters that 20 to 30 billion francs would not save the world's climate, all the more so as the major countries have all been holding back recently.

Mazzone then accuses the Federal Council of using "fake news and blah blah blah" as arguments. Rösti responded angrily, saying that the Federal Council was implementing all climate protection laws without delay and that he did not have to put up with such accusations. Mazzone himself was being sloppy with the facts and denigrating the Federal Council as a whole.

He also argues, together with his fellow campaigners, that the federal government is already investing CHF 2 billion a year in climate protection - in renewable energies and replacing heating systems.

For Mazzone and Wermuth, this is not enough. They are convinced that Switzerland will end up paying much more because of the damage if it does not take decisive action now, i.e. significantly increase the budget for climate protection. Wermuth argues that the conversion of the economy towards carbon neutrality is an investment that will create jobs in the long term.

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Debt brake as a central bone of contention

The climate fund initiative demands that federal spending on climate protection be exempted from the debt brake. This is out of the question for the conservative opponents. Federal Councillor Rösti warns that if Switzerland allows this to happen with climate protection, it will also happen with security policy. The debt brake guarantees Switzerland's stability.

For the opponents of the initiative, financing climate protection through new debt is irresponsible. This is also because it is not clear what exactly is being paid for. Barandun is surprised that so many young people in the room seem to think it would be fine or even cool if Switzerland took on additional debt. In any case, the reason why projects are not progressing quickly enough is not because there is not enough money, but because the conditions are too strict and there are endless objections.

For Marc Jost, on the other hand, it is clear that the current commitment is not enough to cope with the increasing damage caused by global warming. Switzerland is building a foundation, but the roof is missing, he illustrates.

In his closing remarks, Rösti maintains that Switzerland is spending enough on climate protection and that the initiative is opening doors.