Canopy Initiative - Territory

The “Canopy” initiatives are divided into two distinct initiatives. The first focuses on agricultural areas, while the second, detailed below, concerns the rest of the territory.

The initiative text is presented as a project formulated in general terms.

 

Canopy Initiative - territorial greening

 

Art. 75c                   Greening

1 To achieve massive greening of the territory, the Confederation, Cantons, and Municipalities shall undertake the following measures:

  1. They shall raise awareness among the Swiss population about the challenges and benefits of greening;
  2. They shall encourage and support landowners in Switzerland to green their plots;
  3. They shall encourage and support local greening initiatives;
  4. They shall encourage and support the creation of green spaces, vegetated areas, community gardens, etc., particularly in urban areas

2 The Confederation, Cantons and Municipalities shall develop a land-use plan to achieve optimal vegetation coverage by greening the entire territory by 2050. The general idea is to promote greening wherever possible, with common sense and without excessive constraints:

  1. Excluding agricultural areas and forests;
  2. Exceptions shall be made for proven reasons of safety, technical feasibility, and/or when essential infrastructure irreparably conflicts with greening initiatives.

 

Definition:

  • By “greening,” it is meant the implementation and/or encouragement of all forms of initiatives aimed at fostering biodiversity in all its aspects, including the restoration and creation of ecosystems, while respecting ecological and biodiversity coherence. The approach emphasizes ecosystem quality, a long-term vision, and a preference for native species, unless an exotic species demonstrates better resilience to climate change and integrates well with local biodiversity, excluding invasive species.