Natural hazards: legal adjustments for more safety

The alpine country Switzerland is Natural hazards such as floods, landslides, rock falls or avalanches. The population and the economy need protection against these hazards. With increasing settlement and advancing climate change, the need for protection is likely to rise even further in the future. A future-oriented approach to natural hazards must be holistic and risk-based. It should not only take into account hazards per se, but also risks, which only arise as a result of the type of use. The existing Hydraulic Engineering Act of 1991 does not yet sufficiently reflect this integral approach - which is already being implemented in practice. Therefore, this and other relevant laws and ordinances are to be specifically adapted. The Federal Council has held a debate on this matter.

Consultation to be available by 2019

The legal adjustments aim to systematically identify and reduce risks of impending natural hazards. Based on the identified risks, it can be decided, for example, where and how much money is to be invested in protective measures. With the same resources as before, the safety of Switzerland as a living and economic area is to be guaranteed even better and also maintained in the long term. Expenditure by the public sector and private actors should be more sustainable and efficient. The legal amendments are therefore not only important for the effective protection of the population, but also make sense from an economic perspective. Thanks to the legal adjustments, a basis will also be created for dealing with future challenges, such as adapting to the consequences of climate change, which is expected to lead to greater natural events. The Federal Council has instructed the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) to prepare a consultation draft on the proposed legal amendments by the end of 2019.

Source: Federal Council message