Dozen of countries have enacted climate targets through legislation, but the question is rarely put to ordinary people for a vote.
The reason Swiss voters will have a say on net zero emissions becoming the law of the land is because of the Swiss People’s Party (known by its German acronym SVP), a right-wing nationalist group that is the largest in parliament. When the legislature passed a law last year staking out a net zero target, the SVP was the only party in opposition. In response, it gathered enough signatures to get it on the ballot for a direct vote on June 18.
The Swiss system of ballot initiatives — in force for more than a century — allows voters to have a direct say. Any recently passed law can be challenged via a referendum by collecting 50,000 signatures from citizens. The system allows for national votes, held four times a year, that are legally binding.