Vote in the canton of Zurich – will oil and gas heating systems soon be a thing of the past? – News
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Should new heating systems in Zurich be climate neutral? The electorate decides on the new energy law.
With the new energy law, the canton of Zurich wants to take action against the consequences of climate change. In principle, the proposal is about replacing oil and gas heating systems at the end of their service life with a climate-friendly alternative – for example a heat pump or wood heating system. 120,000 oil and gas heating systems are in operation in the canton of Zurich; they are responsible for 40 percent of CO₂ emissions.
The Zurich Homeowners Association has launched a referendum against the new law. He calls for an economic climate policy. Even without a new law, greenhouse gas emissions from buildings have been reduced by a good third in recent years. The association also fears higher costs for homeowners and tenants.
The proponents say that there can be no question of higher costs. If, for example, the rent increases due to higher investment costs, the ancillary costs for heating would decrease in return. In addition, the Zurich government and all parties except the SVP are convinced that Zurich will become more independent of oil-exporting countries and that effective measures against climate change must be taken when.