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In these times of crisis, former Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey finds that Switzerland's diplomacy lacks a clear stance. As guarantor of the Geneva Conventions, Switzerland should step up its involvement in support of civilians.

In October 2023, the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) took a decision that has largely escaped public notice. It is about including "private sector instruments" in development financing, and could hold far-reaching implications for the poorest countries in the South.

Switzerland is not prepared for the burgeoning expectations regarding its future contribution to international climate finance. New funding sources must be found if additional funds are to be allocated for climate protection and adaptation in the Global South.

The impact of international cooperation is a recurring theme in the media and in Parliament. Yet the ongoing debate says more about the shortcomings in the evaluations and the inadequacy of communication regarding international cooperation in general, than about the actual impact of projects.

Guy Parmelin, the Swiss Minister of Economic Affairs, announced on Sunday that he had reached an agreement in principle with India on a free trade agreement, negotiations on which had been going on for 16 years. Without giving any further details, he assured that the two parties had also reached agreement on the issue of patent protection, which had been the main stumbling block.

Switzerland is celebrating the world's first carbon offset programme under the Paris Agreement that will help the country fulfil its own climate goals. Emissions are being reduced in Bangkok through the co-funding of electric buses. A detailed study by Alliance Sud and Fastenaktion reveals that the investment in electric buses in Bangkok would have taken place by 2030 even without an offset programme.

In a carbon market that has demonstrated its limitations, an unexpected player has invited itself to the negotiations. Commodity traders have recently stepped up their CO₂ trading, without scaling back their fossil fuel business operations.

Pressure from civil society and the media has rightly discredited the carbon markets. The current system is not delivering on its promises and is harming the Global South.

Edited by Maxime Zufferey

In November, a large majority of UN member states agreed to a UN Framework Convention on Taxation. In the run-up, our tax policy expert toured the city of New York and the institution.