Switzerland markets in everything

Switzerland, one of the world’s richest nations, has an ambitious climate goal: It promises to cut its greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.

But the Swiss don’t intend to reduce emissions by that much within their own borders. Instead, the European country is dipping into its sizable coffers to pay poorer nations, like Ghana or Dominica, to reduce emissions there — and give Switzerland credit for it.

Here is an example of how it would work: Switzerland is paying to install efficient lighting and cleaner stoves in up to five million households in Ghana; these installations would help households move away from burning wood for cooking and rein in greenhouse gas emissions.

Then Switzerland, not Ghana, will get to count those emissions reductions as progress toward its climate goals.

Here is more from Hiroko Tabuchi at the NYT.  Note that most of Swiss energy already is renewable, through hydroelectric and nuclear, yet of course there are many people complaining about this scheme.