Are you curious about how you can visit Switzerland more responsibly? Nature-based tourism in Switzerland relies on those amazing glaciers and snow-capped mountains, making it critical to visit responsibly. Consider a camping or campervan road trip that you offset to see and learn about nature’s hidden gems. Or perhaps you’ll prefer to take advantage of the expansive rail network. Most of Switzerland’s cities are urban sustainable hubs, so you can easily explore cities on foot and engage in zero-waste schemes. Switzerland has plenty of UNESCO biospheres, nature parks, opportunities for agricultural tourism, and cultural engagement. Make sure you read my road trip tips for Switzerland more ways to limit your impact while driving.
Switzerland Sustainability & Environmental Facts
Biodiversity
Endangered Species: European Pond Turtle
Recent Local Extinctions: Osprey in 1911 and lesser grey shrike in the 1980s
Swiss Alpine habitats support Lynx, wolf, bear, Chamois, Ibex and alpine salamanders.
Wolf returned to Switzerland in 1995, with a growing population of 80 wolves!
Home to 64,00 plant, animal, and fungi species
Nature Parks
Swiss National Park was the first national park in the European Alps
9 Cultural, and 4 Biosphere UNESCO Heritage Sites
Swiss parks are role models for sustainable development, fostering environmental, social, and economic interests.
Parks offer great opportunities for sustainable eco-tourism.
Environmental Wins
One of the 1st countries to monitor and protect biodiversity
Leading the way in urban sustainability, Zürich is one of the world’s top sustainable city
Switzerland is home to the world’s first industrial-scale carbon-capturing plant.
Leading the way in projects to turn waste into energy.
Environmental Concerns
Climate change is a major driver of ecosystem change melting glaciers and reducing snow cover and quality.
Switzerland currently consumes 2x the amount of resources the earth can sustainably provide.
While Swiss water quality is generally good, they do very little to limit the actions of Swiss-owned Nestle, which is a key driver in the loss of water resources around the world.
Reduce Your Impact
Eat and purchase bio/organic food – free of pesticides
Support a carbon-capturing scheme to protect glaciers
Avoid consumption of Nestle products at home and while in Switzerland
Be conscious of water and overall consumption of resources while visiting
Engage in sustainable ecotourism by visiting nature-parks and agri-camping sites
Public Transportation
Prioritize walking or biking in urban areas
Can you take a train or bus instead of a flight to and around Switzerland?
Make sure your campervan or car uses clean fuel or AdBlue Diesel.
Use Switzerland’s expansive network of trains to explore natural areas.