Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

The forest area has grown by about 45 per cent since the late 19th century. Today, almost one-third of the country’s area is covered by forest [ ] 214 The Environmental Protection Organizations’ collective right of appeal Environmental protection organi- zations’ collective right of appeal is a success-story of Switzerland’s en- vironmental policy. It allows organ- izations working on environmental protection to draw legal opposition to certain projects that would cause considerable damage to natural land- scapes and ecosystems. This right of appeal thus constitutes an instrument allowing and promoting better imple- mentation of national environmental legislation. This right of appeal is found in Arti- cle 12 of the Federal Act on the Protec- tion of Nature and Cultural Heritage (NCHA), being granted to non-profit organizations concerned with nature protection, cultural heritage protec- tion, monument preservation or relat- ed objectives. Similar provisions exist for putting into circulation genetically modified organisms and the planning, construction or modification of instal- lations for which an environmental impact assessment is required. Environmental protection organ- izations’ collective right of appeal is usually applied by organizations to examine an administration decision. It is applicable only in clearly defined areas, and only to projects subject to an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and to federal projects. Only af- ter such an appeal is made, can a court verify whether a decision concerning a project that affects nature conserva- tion is in accordance with the law. A review of the right of appeal conducted in 2000 found that: • Environmental organizations make use of the instrument in a cautious and successful way. The right of ap- peal is thus a cost-effective measure strengthening the implementation of environmental legislation • The right to appeal has a preventa- tive effect on projects, as environ- mental aspects are anticipated to avoid lengthy objection procedures. From an environmental point of view, the right to appeal improves the quality of projects • The right to appeal promotes consensus by facilitating dialogue between stakeholders • The right to appeal is an important instrument promoting public par- ticipation and awareness. Indeed, it requires a high degree of involve- ment and volunteer work among the members of the environmental protection organizations. In summary, the right to appeal is an instrument supporting the imple- mentation of all goals of the Conven- tions’ Strategic Plan 2011–2020. A s a country located in the centre of Europe, and with approximately two-thirds of its territory lying in the Alps, Switzerland is situated geographically at the crossroads of Europe’s biological exchanges. The territory can be divided into three large natural regions: the Alpine chain, which has served as a refuge for numerous species of Arctic flora from the last ice age; the Plateau, a vast undulating plain with a mosaic of cultivated land and wooded strips; and in the west, the Jura chain with a series of wooded hilltops. The varied landscapes and small-scale differences among habitats as well as the geographic position have created a rich diversity of ecosystems and species in the country. Approximately 19,000 species of plant and fungi are recorded, as well as an estimated 40,000 animal species. Switzerland is thus one of the most biodiverse countries in Europe. Rotenboden, Zermatt, Switzerland Chris Holgersson Switzerland