Greenhouse gas emissions from Swiss buildings fall

Switzerland emitted 41.6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents in 2022, 3.5 million tonnes less than in 2021. Greenhouse gas emissions from buildings in particular fell because less heating was required due to the warm winter and people increasingly switched to heat pumps. Overall, Swiss greenhouse gas emissions were 24% lower than in 1990, according to the Federal Office for the Environment’s (FOEN) annual greenhouse gas inventory, which will be submitted to the UN Climate Change Secretariat in April. Greenhouse gas emissions from homes in 2022 were 44% lower than in 1990. This was due to the fact that less oil and gas were burnt for heating during the exceptionally warm winter. According to the FOEN, greenhouse gas emissions from buildings are trending downwards, although the heated areas have increased by over 50% since 1990. The reasons for this are the improved energy efficiency of buildings and the fact that heat pumps are increasingly being installed instead of gas and oil ...