How Sustainable Is Switzerland? Implementing the 2030 Agenda from a Civil Society Perspective

1 | How sustainable is Switzerland? Implementing the 2030 Agenda from a civil society perspective How sustainable is Switzerland? Implementing the 2030 Agenda from a civil society perspective Recommendations of the Platform Agenda 2030 4 Part 1: General conditions: Switzerland needs to correct its course! 7 The 2030 Agenda and its origins 8 Everyone responsible, but no-one in charge? 10 Means of implementation: invest and regulate sustainably! 13 Enhanced coherence for sustainable development requires new instruments 17 Part 2: The need for Switzerland to do its homework: action points 21 Poverty in Switzerland 22 Agriculture and food systems in Switzerland 25 Good health for everyone—in Switzerland and around the world 30 Education policy challenges in Switzerland 34 Women’s* rights and gender equality in Switzerland 37 Decent work—challenges for Switzerland 40 Sustainable consumption and production 44 Children and young people at the heart of development 47 People with disabilities are still not treated equally 51 Planet and environment: urgent need for greater awareness—and action! 54 A peace-based approach to shaping Swiss policy 58 Coherent foreign economic policy is essential to migration for development 62 Foreign economic policy and international tax issues 65 Agenda 2030 70 Which chapter refers to which SDG? 78 Impressum How sustainable is Switzerland? Implementing the 2030 Agenda from a civil society perspective. 2018 Publisher: Swiss Civil Society Platform Agenda 2030 | Coordination: Eva Schmassmann | Translation: Jane Catterall and Lena Miller | Proofreading: Caroline Morrissey | Layout: Karin Hutter | Printed by : s+z:gutzumdruck, Brig Foreword While many stakeholders welcomed the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015 as a paradigm shift, a certain sense of disillusionment has already set in. More than two years have passed, but what has been achieved? Following Switzerland’s announcement that it will present a progress report to the UN in July, the civil society organisations that make up the Platform Agenda 2030 have been busy drafting their own parallel report. In doing so, they have not followed the UN guidelines for country-led reports. Instead, they have defined the topics and issues they feel to be most important. The result is a broad spectrum of insights and analyses of the challenges and need for action – both in Switzerland and by Switzerland – that are involved whenever political decisions taken at home spill over and affect other countries. Owing to the cross-cutting nature of the 2030 Agenda, each chapter includes multiple cross-references, thus clearly illustrating the many interdependencies and interlinkages between individual SDGs. The individual chapters vary in structure and style, reflecting Switzerland’s diverse civil society landscape. They clearly point out where action is needed in each of the respective areas. Unfortunately, although progress has been made on certain issues, there have also been setbacks. Identifying the need for action is an important first step towards making the necessary changes. The recommendations in each chapter suggest options for changing course towards sustainable development at the political level. Deeds must follow words! Eva Schmassmann, President 4 | Platform Agenda 2030 Recommendations of the Platform Agenda 2030 The 11 recommendations of the Platform Agenda 2030 are derived from the recommendations put forward in the individual chapters of this report. They were presented to the members of this civil society platform at its 2018 annual general meeting for discussion and approval. Unlike the recommendations formulated by the respective authors in the individual chapters, these 11 recommendations have the backing of the entire platform. In other words, they enjoy broad-based support within civil society: organisations from the fields of development, the environment, peace, human rights, health, the shared economy and trade unions see these recommendations as the cornerstone of sustainable development policy in Switzerland, both at home and in terms of its global responsibility. 1 Leaving no one behind 2 Respecting planetary boundaries companies also respect international environmental standards, both here and “Leaving no one behind” is the principle at If everybody on this planet lived like people elsewhere. the core of the 2030 Agenda, whose suc- in Switzerland today, it would take more cess can therefore be measured primarily than three planet Earths to provide all by the progress it delivers for particularly they demand. It therefore needs to make 3 Human rights vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, a determined effort to reduce it. The coun- including the right to basic needs services. try must cut its consumption, adopt sus- Implementation of the 2030 Agenda must This means that Switzerland is required to tainable production methods, halt the comply with basic rights and international take action across all policy areas to ongoing biodiversity loss in its territory, human rights treaties, to which Switzerland achieve the Sustainable Development establish a functioning green infrastruc- is bound and accountable under interna- Goals for all disadvantaged people every- ture and take full responsibility for tional law. The Federal Government must where. At the domestic and international respecting the planet’s boundaries. Cru- ensure the necessary coherence and take level, measures must be instituted above cially in this respect, Switzerland must a strong co-benefits approach. There is a all for people affected by poverty, wom- also accept responsibility for the effects special need for action in relation to the en* 1, migrants, children and young adults, its policies have on other countries. This human rights of particularly vulnerable people with disabilities, the elderly, peo- includes taking responsibility as an im- and disadvantaged people and groups. ple in unstable employment situations and porter and trading hub for various com- Switzerland must ensure that Swiss com- other marginalised social groups. Swit- modities and goods, and for the impact of panies also respect human rights, both zerland is required to counter all forms of investments abroad made from Switzer- here and elsewhere. discrimination, and especially to protect land. In addition, it must look at the impact people who suffer from multiple discrim- of its consumption patterns on the climate, ination. Internationally, Switzerland must biodiversity and the natural resource base. 4 Participation and inclusion ensure prospects for disadvantaged peo- Switzerland is obliged to implement all ple by means of the coherent implemen- the climate and environment agreements Creating peaceful and inclusive societies, tation of its sectoral policies and effective that are binding under international law, removing the legal and structural barriers development cooperation. both at home and in its foreign and trade to equal access, opportunities and the policy, in full and by the given deadline. ability to participate, and ensuring the Switzerland must ensure that Swiss social, economic, political and cultural 5 | How sustainable is Switzerland? Implementing the 2030 Agenda from a civil society perspective inclusion of all people, in particular those policy, economic policy, agricultural pol- 10 Developing political strategies who are vulnerable or disadvantaged, is icy, migration policy, international fiscal a core concern of the 2030 Agenda. In the and financial policy, spatial planning, Switzerland must firmly align all its po- interests of achieving this, Switzerland peace and security policy, research and litical strategies with the 2030 Agenda, must ensure the full, effective and equal education policy, and health policy). In especially in federal, cantonal and com- participation of all people in political, addition, Switzerland should not enter into munal planning procedures. At the feder- social, environmental and economic af- any agreements with other countries (such al level, the legislative planning process fairs, and allow everyone to have a say in as free trade agreements) under which is key. Where gaps are identified—for in- decision-shaping processes. Among other human rights and environmental standards stance, there is no national strategy on things, this means guaranteeing public are not binding. All political business must poverty or strategy to fully implement the access to information. Those sections of be subject to an ex-ante sustainability UN Convention on the Rights of Persons the population affected by political deci- impact assessment to provide a basis for with Disabilities—the required strategies sions should be systematically integrated informed consideration and decision-mak- must be drawn up in consultation with the in the processes by which those decisions ing. stakeholders concerned. The Federal Gov- are arrived at, right from the outset. New ernment must implement existing strate- forms and mechanisms of participation gies, such as that on biodiversity in Swit- must be applied to this end. 8 Making resources available zerland, in a consistent and timely manner. Progress on achieving the goals must be The Federal Government, cantons and monitored for all strategies and the data 5 Inequality communes must make the resources re- presented in disaggregated form. quired to implement the 2030 Agenda Switzerland must work towards substan- available. In particular, their budget pro- tially reducing inequality at both the na- cesses should take

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