How is climate change impacting Switzerland, and how can people protect themselves against its consequences?

Climate change is also noticeable in Switzerland – there is an accumulation of natural disasters. There are increasing numbers of losses due to avalanches in winter, floods caused by heavy rainfall, extreme droughts and heatwaves in summer. Is it possible to insure against the consequences of climate change? 

Climate change is the greatest risk all over the world

According to AXA's assessment, climate change will be one of the principal risks in coming years. In fact, the insurer rates climate change as the greatest risk worldwide.

What signs of climate change can we already observe?

Switzerland is constantly becoming warmer

Since 1864, when temperature measurements in Switzerland began, the average temperature in the country has risen by 1.9 degrees Celsius. There has been a particularly sharp increase in temperatures over the last 30 years.

Over the last 150 years, temperatures in Switzerland as a whole have risen twice as fast as the global average. The impact of warming on the northern side of the Alps is considerably greater than on the southern side.

Winters are becoming warmer and there are fewer and fewer frost days. In 1890, for example, Davos still experienced 231 frost days. But in 2018, only 161 days below 0 degrees were measured. 

Because of Switzerland's geographical location, the impact of climate change on our country is more severe than the international average. There are two reasons for this:

1. The world's oceans attenuate warming. Conversely, this means that inland countries such as Switzerland are not cooled by the water.
2. And as a general rule, warming is more severe in regions located nearer the North Pole than in those on the Equator. Switzerland is located in the middle latitudes of the globe, so it is impacted more severely by warming.

You can find out more at swissinfo.ch: «How climate change affects Switzerland»

What does the future look like for Switzerland?

The number of summer days will increase

By 2060, there will be a significant increase in summer days (when temperatures above 25 degrees are measured) if no steps are taken to counteract climate change. Without climate protection, the average number of summer days in the Mittelland would increase to between 60 and 95 – and on the valley floors in Ticino, the figure could possibly be over 120. With climate protection, the number of summer days per year could be limited to between 40 and 75 in the Mittelland while in Ticino, only the lowest altitudes would experience over 100 summer days.

There are fewer days with fresh snowfall

At present, snow falls in the central High Alps on an average of over 100 days per year. By 2060, many places in the Alps will experience fewer than 80 days with fresh snowfall each year if no climate protection measures are taken. The number of days with fresh snowfall in the Mittelland will fall to well below 20 without climate protection.

The number of frost days is decreasing significantly

In the high mountain regions, there is still frost on one third of all days at present; by 2060, the number of frost days there will decrease by well over 50 if no climate protection measures are taken.

To learn more about climate scenarios for Switzerland, go to the website of the National Centre for Climate Services (NCCS).

Insurance against damage by natural forces covers damage caused by natural hazards

According to a UN report in 2011, Switzerland is the world's best-prepared country for natural disasters. One of the core elements of Swiss risk management to counteract natural perils is insurance against damage by natural forces: this gives Switzerland insurance against natural perils that is unique in the world. Insurance against damage by natural forces covers losses and damage arising from high water, flood, storm, hail, avalanche, snow load, rockslide, rockfall or landslide. It provides virtually comprehensive insurance coverage. Nowadays, 99% of all buildings – together with furniture and facilities (known as movables) – are insured against damage from natural forces.

What can I insure, and where can I insure it?

• Buildings:
  In 19 cantons, buildings are insured against fire damage and damage from natural forces through the cantonal buildings insurance. In the cantons of Geneva, Uri, Schwyz, Ticino, Appenzell (IR), Valais, and Obwalden – known as the GUSTAVO cantons – and in the Principality of Liechtenstein, these types of damage to buildings are covered by building insurance from private insurance companies.
  Depending on the value of their house for insurance against damage by natural forces, homeowners pay the same premium, regardless of where their house is located. In other words: even owners of homes in risk areas do not pay higher premiums.
  

• Furniture and facilities:
  Damage from natural forces to furniture and facilities can be covered by private household contents insurance, or by property insurance for companies; in the cantons of Nidwalden and Vaud, protection must be arranged through a cantonal insurer.

• Cars:
  Car owners can protect themselves against damage from natural forces by taking out accidental damage insurance.