Heatwaves that are becoming ever more intense and frequent are yet another wake-up call.
Unless we change course, Switzerland could see temperatures of 50 °C in the summer by 2050.
We reject this prospect of an unliveable world and call for widespread, united action in the autumn to demand an emergency action plan combining adaptation and mitigation.
The summer of 2026 has shown us the ordeal of heatwaves that are becoming ever more intense, longer and more frequent, caused by climate change.
Pupils fainting in class, babies in nurseries where temperatures exceed 30°C, elderly people confined to their homes or in sweltering care homes, unbearable heat in the office, flats exceeding 26°C at night, scorching tarmac, disrupted sleep, workers overheating outdoors or in kitchens, hospital A&E departments under severe pressure, animals and vegetation suffering, agriculture under threat, etc.
And when thunderstorms follow these heatwaves, they are often destructive to crops and infrastructure.
Politicians have failed to protect us and, all too often, employers are prepared to put their employees’ lives at risk in order to continue making a profit.
We are calling for broad, united mobilisation from autumn 2026
This call is addressed to all those who have experienced these situations first-hand and who refuse to resign themselves to seeing the situation get worse.
The situation is critical and demands urgent action. Nothing will change without a strong mobilisation.
All trade union, political and community organisations must come together to address this emergency affecting our lives.
We call on everyone who rejects the prospect of summers reaching 50 °C to join forces so that attention on this issue does not wane as temperatures drop, and to demand a plan of emergency measures combining adaptation and mitigation.
We don’t want suffocation to be our fate!
The disaster is upon us, but solutions do exist
We must manage the inevitable:
Insulate buildings, massively green our cities, open up cool, free public spaces (swimming pools, cooling centres, etc.), ban outdoor work during heatwaves, adjust working hours, paint white surfaces…
Every immediate and concrete measure can make the difference between living and suffocating.
…and avoid the unmanageable:
Switzerland is not on track to meet its climate targets; we must demand far-reaching changes to reduce emissions across all sectors and achieve carbon neutrality.
Together, we are strong
Together, we can amplify our demands
Together, we can enforce immediate measures to protect the population and break away from this ecocidal trajectory
Call issued by solidaritéS (CH) and Ensemble à Gauche Vaud on 2 July 2026