The national Bank knows no flight of shame

train instead of plane, wood class instead of business class: This announcement environment Minister Simonetta Sommaruga made in December for the Federal admini

The national Bank knows no flight of shame

train instead of plane, wood class instead of business class: This announcement environment Minister Simonetta Sommaruga made in December for the Federal administration. With these and other measures the Federal government wants to protect the climate and the CO2 emissions while flying are greatly reduced – by 30 percent by 2030.

At the Swiss national Bank (SNB) is passed, this climate protection program, however, unaffected, although your Berner sitting within a hundred yards of Sommarugas office is located. Because the SNB is not part of the Central Federal administration, does not apply to the "action plan for air travel" for its more than 900 employees. And applies it on a voluntary basis.

This now leads to a stark difference in treatment around the Federal space: SNB-employees to fly on business trips as short as four hours, in principle, the Business – regardless of the level of the hierarchy. Federal employees, however, are held only from nine hours to book directly with the airline Business. For flights with a stopover, this threshold increases to as much as eleven hours. And this rule applies all the way up to the highest function levels.

This means: In the case of the SNB, even the lowest-ranking office workers enjoy significantly greater flight privileges as a Secretary of state or a service Director with the Federal government. Here employees of SNB and the Federal administration will fly to the same conferences abroad – at the moment, for example, heaped upon Saudi Arabia to the preparatory meetings for the G-20 summit.

fly Up to three times more CO2

in the business classroom climate is significantly more harmful than in economy class On short-haul routes, the CO2 is emissions of around one and a half times larger, on long-haul routes by up to three times, it says in the "action plan for air travel". First, business chair need on the plane more space, secondly, business passengers may carry more Luggage, thirdly, the business class is busy in General, worse. All of this leads to higher fuel consumption per passenger.

More business tickets are significantly more expensive. This criterion coincides with the SNB, however, is of little weight. In the case of a net profit of 49 billion Swiss francs (2019) go under even the most expensive First-Class Tickets in the financial noise floor.

The SNB was committed to reducing CO2 to avoid emissions wherever possible, or at least emphasises, the SNB in a statement. Since 2011, their processes to be completely greenhouse gas neutral. "Unavoidable" emissions – for example, when flying would be to offset one hundred percent support of climate protection projects.

Founded in the business class however, is for the Federal government. This means, for example, "that a Federal Council may authorise a state Secretary, a corresponding exception," writes the competent Federal office for energy. How often will there be such exceptions to the principle of "Economy instead of Business" is currently not yet be estimated. Conversely, it is in the case of the SNB, "in practice" book, sometimes even lower classes than the maximum allowable.

Also members of the to train travel

The "action plan for air travel", which aims to reduce CO2 emissions, applies to all employees of the Central Federal administration, but not for the members of the Federal Council and the Federal Chancellor. You basically decide yourself about your means of transport. The want to change Katharina Prelicz-Huber now. In a recently filed Motion, the green national councillor requires, the Federal Council was to be a "model of its own strategy". Therefore, he should adhere to "the same rules as its staff". Especially Prelicz-Huber thinks of the new regulation, to take with travel times under six hours, in principle, the train was. In this regard, the rules of the SNB are similar: their employees to take up to five hours of train travel the train. ( huh )

a Total of about 900 SNB-employees flew in the year 2018 more than four million kilometres. In the last 15 years, the number of flight-kilometres have more than doubled, writes the media office. "The increase is to a considerable extent, with the increased participation of the SNB in international monetary cooperation and membership in international organizations." The weight of the transfer flights between Switzerland and the SNB's branch in Singapore to fall.

Jordan fly First

While the simple SNB employees fly Business, President Thomas Jordan and the other two members of the Executive Board from four hours to claim a seat in First Class. The Federal Federal councillors sit in First Class. However, you make use of this privilege are rather rare.

, Thomas Jordan, has four hours of flight is entitled to a seat in the First Class. Photo: Keystone

This shows some statistics of 41’000-flight of the Federal administration for travel in the years 2017 and 2018. The "Switzerland at the weekend," has requested the data pursuant to the freedom of information act, recently out. According to these data, took advantage of members of the Federal Council, only about a dozen Times First Class. Ueli Maurer, Guy Parmelin, Ignazio Cassis and Simonetta Sommaruga refused even to First-Class Tickets, even on long flights to the far East. However, use of the Federal councillors for their trips abroad, often to the Bundesratsjet.

Created: 10.03.2020, 06:05 PM

Date Of Update: 10 March 2020, 06:01
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