Revision of the CO2 law for the period after 2024
PostBus on the way to climate-friendly mobility
Background
To achieve its climate goals, Switzerland has decided to revise the CO2 law of 2011. An initial revision of the CO2 law failed at the ballot box in June 2021. Transitional provisions were subsequently adopted by a parliamentary initiative (21.477) and expiring instruments were extended to the end of 2024. However, a new CO2 law is to enter into force by the beginning of 2025 at the latest. This will create the necessary conditions for Switzerland to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 in comparison to 1990s levels. A few months after the last revision was rejected, the administration submitted a new legislative proposal for the consultation procedure. Swiss Post has stated its position on the proposal.
In September 2022, the Federal Council adopted the text on the revised CO2 law (22.061). In contrast to the earlier revision, the current version does not include taxes. The focus is on control measures and the targeted promotion of climate-friendly solutions in the building, mobility, innovation and financial market sectors. With the new CO2 law, a total of around 4.1 billion francs are to be invested in climate protection between 2025 and 2030.
Swiss Post’s statement on the revision of the CO2 law
As companies affiliated with the Confederation, Swiss Post and PostBus assume responsibility for the climate and aim to be carbon neutral along the entire value chain and net zero as companies from 2040.
In just one year’s time, Swiss Post will transport letters and parcels in urban centers in a carbon neutral way. And its in-house operations will be completely carbon neutral from 2030. This includes switching to alternative drive systems, acquiring 100 percent of electricity from renewable energy sources in Switzerland and phasing out fossil fuels for heating. The remaining emissions will be neutralized in their entirety.
Swiss Post’s ambitious climate target is in line with the United Nations’ goal of limiting global warming to a maximum of 1.5 °C. This is why Swiss Post supports the revision of the CO2 law. In the areas of real estate and logistics, the climate measures proposed by Swiss Post go even further than those proposed in the revision of the law.
PostBus on track with electrification
As a leading bus company in the public transport sector, PostBus wants to take a pioneering role in alternative drive systems and rapidly decarbonize its fleet.
Electrification is already in high gear – around 100 electric buses will be in operation by 2024. All PostBus battery-powered buses obtain 100 percent of their electricity from certified renewable energy sources in Switzerland.
PostBus does not decide on electrification alone
PostBus aims to rapidly convert entire depots or route batches to alternative drive vehicles. However, battery-powered and fuel cell buses are currently still much more expensive than diesel buses in some cases. Building the charging infrastructure is also cost-intensive.
PostBus cannot bear these additional costs on its own. It requires financial commitment from the Confederation and the cantons as the purchasers of this service. For this reason, PostBus relies on the purchasers for the financing of alternative drive systems. They ultimately decide on the electrification of the public transport service.
Important measures in public transport
Swiss Post and PostBus welcome the measures proposed in the CO2 law to support the decarbonization of public road transport. The focus here is on three measures:
Abolition of the petroleum tax refund disincentive
In principle, PostBus welcomes the fact that the aim is to abolish the petroleum tax exemption in public transport. Today’s exemption is a disincentive. At the same time, PostBus requests that the additional funds made available as a result be used in full to support environmentally friendly drive systems. It is essential to consult with the service providers and the purchasers about how the transition should take place. Two factors are paramount. Firstly, there should be no withdrawal of funds from regional transport. Doing so would run counter to the ecologically sensible increase in the modal split. Secondly, investment security must not be called into question for service providers.
Financial support from the Confederation for the purchase of buses with alternative drive systems
With the new CO2 law, the Confederation intends to approve a credit commitment of a total of 282 million francs to support franchised transport businesses in switching to alternative drive systems between 2025 and 2030.
From PostBus’ perspective, it is crucial that the Confederation financially support franchised transport businesses in all transport segments. Switching to environmentally friendly buses ultimately still involves significant costs, which transport companies carrying out mandated public transport cannot bear on their own. PostBus relies on financial support from the Confederation and welcomes the fact that the Confederation makes an important contribution to the cost parity of diesel and electric by assuming part of the additional investment costs compared to conventional models and drives.
Coordinated, nationwide solutions for a successful public transport system in Switzerland and a strong public service
The challenges in switching to alternative drive systems in public road transport extend well beyond financing. Switching also means expanding the current ecosystem with new elements (charging infrastructure, backend systems, energy procurement, etc.) or ensuring the interoperability and economic viability of the new overall system. To ensure that the Swiss public transport system remains successful and cost efficient, for PostBus it is central that a standardized and integrated overall system can be relied on and the associated potential for synergy is used to develop a uniform structure. Swiss Post and PostBus welcome the fact that the Confederation intends to support uniform, nationwide solutions by creating a coordination body for alternative drive systems. In the interests of a strong public service and efficient use of public funds, a coordinated approach, common solutions and standards as well as the pooling of expertise are key. Together with the public transport sector, PostBus is ready to support the effort to create the coordination body in the area of electromobility.