📚 One policy mix performed surprisingly well: a combination of risk-based tax incentives on pesticide use and an adapted pesticide approval procedure. This was a surprising finding since tax incentives only have limited support from some stakeholders.
📣 New PEGO publication
PEGO member Milena Wiget co-authored a new paper with Judit Lienert where they evaluate policy mixes for agricultural pesticide risks reduction in Switzerland. 🌱 🇨🇭
Read more here 👉 doi.org/10.1016/j.ag...
Zum Factsheet 👉 trapego.ch/de/factsheet...
Oder auch als Blog 👉 agrarpolitik-blog.com/2026/04/17/p...
Neuer TRAPEGO Factsheet zu PIWI-Rebsorten 🎉
🍇 Der Factsheet zeigt das pilzwiderstandsfähige (PIWI) Rebsorten den Einsatz von Pflanzenschutzmitteln im Weinbau um bis zu 80% reduzieren können. Trotzdem werden sie in der Schweiz bisher nur auf einem kleinen Teil der Rebflächen angebaut
Thank you ProClim for organizing a great Swiss Global Change Day yesterday! 🌎
The event brought together inspiring keynote speakers working across climate science and communication, and highlighted the importance of collaboration across fields and to wider audiences 🤝
The report provides a scientific basis of climate change in Switzerland, divided into the three parts:
🇨🇭 overview of the current state of climate change in Switzerland
🌡️ the projections of climate change in the future
📉 potential mitigation and adaptation measures
We are very excited about the new "Brennpunkt Klima Schweiz" Report that was published last week, especially since @kariningold.bsky.social, Jeanine Janz and Lukas Fesenfeld are some of the authors of this report 🎉
To the report 👉 proclim.scnat.ch/de/uuid/i/45...
Many thanks to VUR and all speakers for this insightful and highly topical conference!
Kurt Seiler, Rahel G., Sebastian Heselhaus, Tensing Gammeter, Felix Uhlmann, Isabelle Romy, Reto Schmid
🔍 The Canton of St. Gallen illustrated a pioneering role in addressing PFAS and the challenges of implementation in practice. Authorities are confronted with situations with no obvious solution and case-by-case assessments required.
💡 Key takeaway: addressing PFAS requires a policy mix that reflects the complexity and persistence of the problem. This includes strengthening upstream prevention and a meaningful application of the polluter pays principle, particularly in the context of diffuse pollution and unclear liability
Last Friday, PEGO member @jeaninejanz.bsky.social attended the Vereinigung für Umweltrecht conference on PFAS ("forever chemicals") in Aarau 🔬
👉 Discussions pointed out gaps in the precautionary principle and questioned whether current focus on end-of-pipe solutions is still appropriate
Das Projekt untersucht die PFAS-Problematik 🔬 entlang des gesamten Lebenszyklus von PFAS und zielt darauf ab, einen geeigneten Policy-Mix zur wirksamen Regulierung der sogenannten „Forever Chemicals“ in der Schweiz zu entwickeln.
Neue Mitarbeiterin im PEGO Team 🎉
Jeanine Janz ist neu (wieder) Teil von PEGO und arbeitet als wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin in einem gemeinsamen Projekt der Universität Bern, der Eawag und des Oekotoxzentrums.
Willkommen im Team Jeanine!
Migros-Genossenschafts-Bund, Konferenz der Landwirtschaftsämter (Kolas), Konferenz der Umweltschutzämter (KVU), Schweizer Obstverband (SOV), Schweizer Bauernverband, scienceindustries, Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft SECO, Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology, WWF Switzerland. (2/2)
Für den wertvollen Austausch möchten wir uns ganz herzlich bei unserem Advisory Board bedanken: AGRIDEA, Agroscope, Bio Suisse, Bundesamt für Landwirtschaft BLW, Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office FSVO, Federal Office for the Environment FOEN, IP-SUISSE... (1/2)
Das TRAPEGO Projekt wurde letztes Jahr erfolgreich abgeschlossen und die Factsheet Reihe ist ein Ergebnis eines konstruktiven Austausches mit der Praxis.
Das Factsheet zeigt, dass Evidenz aus der Wissenschaft für den politischen Diskurs sehr wichtig ist, aber bei polarisierten Diskursen vermehrt Erfahrungswissen zur Anwendung kommt.
Braucht die Politik Evidenz aus der Wissenschaft? 🤔
Das erste Factsheet vom TRAPEGO Projekt geht dieser Frage im Kontext der Schweizer Landwirtschaftspolitik 🚜 nach.
Link zum Factsheet 👉 lnkd.in/eGhu3R_H
This week, @kariningold.bsky.social traveled to Galway to participate in the ENLIGHT Academic Leadership Programme and represent Uni Bern. We are excited to hear about her experience and insights from the programme!
Read more about the ENLIGHT Programme here 👉 enlight-eu.org
🧠 Science or experience: what shapes political arguments?
A fact sheet from the TRAPEGO project outlines the findings from a study on the regulation of plant protection products in Swiss agricultural policy.
trapego.ch/de/factsheet...
Authors: Ueli Reber, @kariningold.bsky.social, Christian Stamm
Read more at the blog post 👉 lnkd.in/e4YzYkEz
Authors: Ueli Reber, @kariningold.bsky.social, Christian Stamm
💡 This matters for policymaking because:
1️⃣ Evidence use is not uniform: it depends on political position and strategy.
2️⃣ Evidence use is dynamic: it evolves with political triggers and new knowledge.
3️⃣ Policy debates shifted from contesting whether a problem exists to appropriate solutions.
- When actors called for stronger pesticide regulation, they used evidence in roughly 1/3 of the statements, mostly problem-oriented.
- When actors defended the status quo, they used evidence less frequently. And when they did, it was slightly more solution-oriented than problem-oriented.
How is evidence used in pesticide regulation policymaking? 🌱
In a new blog post and a corresponding article, this question is addressed by comparing the use of problem-oriented evidence and solution-oriented evidence during parliamentary discussions in Switzerland on pesticide regulation.
Through workshops and site visits with local partners they are learning about the barriers to enforcing effective plastic management strategies.
Pictures:
(1) The landscapes outside of the town
(2, 3) Pictures from site visits to understand the challenges of implementing plastic management
How does one effectively manage plastic pollution? ♻️
Two PEGO members, Marlene Kammerer and Anastasiia Nikolova, are trying to find out. Their field work has taken them from Nepal to Malaysia where they are now currently on the island of Borneo in the Malaysian town of Semporna.
A great first day of the DVPW Group's Workshop to Federalism at the University of Tübingen!
We had many inspiring presentations on federalism, each offering a unique lens on the topic. And there was even some time to see the lovely old town of Tübingen. Thanks to the organisers for the event!
👋 New article out in @plosclimate.org
@istad.bsky.social & I experimentally demonstrate that communicating alignment between policies and the previously negotiated goals they aim to achieve boosts public support, as exemplified by ambitious decarbonisation goals in
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
The 26th Swiss Global Change Day will be organised by ProClim (SCNAT) on 15 April. Participants can enter the poster contest, where a jury will award outstanding posters in three categories, including Geosphere/Biosphere.
The 26th Swiss Global Change Day will be organised by ProClim (SCNAT) on 15 April. Participants can enter the poster contest, where a jury will award outstanding posters in three categories, including Atmosphere/Hydrosphere.
The 26th Swiss Global Change Day will be organised by ProClim (SCNAT) on 15 April. Participants can enter the poster contest, where a jury will award outstanding posters in three categories, including Human Dimensions/Sustainability.
🏆 Each Swiss #GlobalChange Day includes a #Poster Award, with prizes awarded in three categories. Students and postdocs, submit your posters now! 👉 proclim.ch/id/KH362 #SGCD26 #Research #Science
continued... (2/2)
🌎 "Complex environmental governance: Governing between international economic law and climate policy" by Laurie Durel
☔ "Wissenschaft und Politik extremer Klimaereignisse" by Annika Krüger
We are looking forward to a great semester!