Protection of forests and direct democracy Wind power opponents submit two national popular initiatives
No wind farms in forests and the start of construction of wind power plants only with the prior right of veto of the affected population: this is what two national popular initiatives submitted in Bern on Friday demand.
25.07.2025, 20:38
SDA
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- Two popular initiatives call for higher hurdles for the construction of wind farms in Switzerland.
- The forest protection initiative wants to ban wind turbines in forests, while the community protection initiative demands binding votes for affected communities.
- Critics such as the VSE electricity association warn that the initiatives jeopardize the expansion of wind energy and thus the security of supply.
The Association for Nature Conservation and Democracy collected around 110,000 signatures for each of the two referendums, as reported by the association. The Federal Chancellery will now examine whether the initiative "against the destruction of our forests by wind turbines (forest protection initiative)" and the initiative "for the protection of direct democracy in wind farms (community protection initiative)" will be passed.
According to the initiators, nature needs protection and should not be threatened in the name of the climate. The forest protection initiative is directed against the construction of wind farms in forests. Among other things, it demands that no forests should be cleared for the construction of large wind turbines. In addition, large wind turbines should be erected at least 150 meters away from forest edges, as forest edges have a particularly important ecological function.
In Switzerland, numerous wind turbines are planned in the forest or directly on the edge of the forest. According to the initiators, the area of a football pitch would have to be cleared for a wind turbine in the forest. However, the Forest Act has generally prohibited clearing since 1872 and requires compensation. "Suddenly - after more than 150 years - forest protection should no longer apply in favor of climate protection," the association complains.
Those affected should be allowed to vote
The community protection initiative demands that all residents affected by the construction of wind turbines should be able to vote democratically. It also wants neighboring communities that are particularly affected to be given the right to vote on wind farms.
According to the text of the initiative, the project documents must provide information on individual locations, the dimensions of the plant, the development and also the significant effects of the plants.
One impressive example is the Tramelan wind farm in the canton of Bern, which is not even visible from Tramelan, but has a massive impact on the village of Les Genevez JU, the critics claim.
Electricity companies warn
According to the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies (VSE), however, both initiatives are detrimental to security of supply. The expansion of wind energy stabilizes the system, especially in winter, at night and during fog.
Investments in wind energy require long-term planning and clear framework conditions, write the opponents of the two initiatives. The referendums significantly jeopardize planning security. "Projects get stuck, investments fail to materialize and the energy transition comes to a standstill." Instead of sustainable and clean domestic production, dependence on gas-fired power plants and other CO2-intensive imports is increasing.
With the two petitions, the initiators are targeting, among other things, the acceleration decree that Parliament is currently debating. With the acceleration decree, the Federal Council wants to streamline the procedures for the planning and construction of large renewable energy plants. Parliament wants to involve the local communities: The municipalities should be able to have a say as long as the cantons do not provide otherwise in their legislation.
