Policy Context

Switzerland’s 2021-2024 Development Cooperation Strategy mentions addressing climate change and its effects as one of four core priorities. Switzerland aims to increase its international climate finance from CHF300 million (US$328 million) in 2017-2020 to CHF400 million (US$438 million) or 15% of funding for international cooperation annually by the end of 2024. The SDC highlights five areas of Swiss international climate and environmental policy, namely:

• Climate adaptation;
• Funding climate protection;
• Energy supply;
• Sustainable forestry; and
• Sustainable development of mountainous regions.

According to the draft of the 2025-2028 Development Cooperation Strategy, climate is one of the key funding priorities and set to receive CHF1.5 billion (US$1.6 billion) during that period, translating to CHF500 million (US$547 million) annually. SDC is a key stakeholder in climate policy.

ODA Spending

How much ODA does Switzerland allocate to climate projects?

In 2021, Switzerland allocated a total of US$723 million to climate funding, including principal and significant funding. This represented 28% of bilateral allocable ODA in 2021, ranking 11^th among DAC donors.

How is Switzerland's climate-related ODA changing?

Switzerland's climate-related ODA increased from US$391 million in 2017 to US$723 million in 2021, with the share of climate-related ODA increasing to 28% in 2021. This shift is connected to increases in funding for programs with a significant climate focus, meaning those with climate as a secondary objective.

In 2021, Switzerland spent US$536 million on climate adaptation, of which US$263 million was cross-cutting projects related to both adaptation and mitigation.