Dossier d'information Climate Change in Geneva

Why is the earth heating up?

The atmosphere surrounding our planet is heating up, primarily because we are producing too great a volume of greenhouse gases. These gases, and in particular carbon dioxide, or CO2, and methane, are generally produced when we burn coal, oil or natural gas.

Oil is our main source of energy that we have developed during the 20th century for all kinds of use such as driving cars, powering aeroplanes and heating buildings and homes as well as producing plastics, fertilisers used in intensive agriculture, medicines, household appliances, etc.

Given that trees absorb a share of the CO2 present in the atmosphere, deforestation also contributes to global warming.

This climate change is caused by human activities. Alternatives to oil exist, but they do not yet enjoy sufficient support and are not widespread.

What are the effects of climate change in Switzerland and in Geneva?

Climate change causes different effects from one region of the world to another. Discover the impacts of climate change in Switzerland and Geneva.

The tipping point

The tipping point is a threshold causing a radical change without being able to return to the previous situation, such as the melting of the Antarctic ice cap or a switch in the marine currents. As climate change is non-linear, it can change little by little until a threshold is reached and this causes a “domino effect” that it is impossible to reverse.

Further reading

• The cantonal climate plan, part 1, published by the state of Geneva, provides information on the causes and effects of climate change in Geneva;
• The “Climate change” page of the Confederation on the causes and effects of climate change in Switzerland;
• Spotlight on the Swiss climate. Inventory of perspectives, a report by members of the Swiss Academy of Science, 2016;
• Report on “Climate change 2014, Summary report, Summary for policymakers”, published by the IPCC on the website of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
• Special IPCC report published in October 2018 (available in English): Global warming of 1.5°C; Summary in French produced by the Belgian government
• Infography on how the IPCC works.
• Publication of the Swiss Confederation in May 2018: “Swiss climate policy – Implementing the Paris Agreement”