Anti-nuclear Movement in Switzerland

In 2008, nuclear energy provided Switzerland with 40 per cent of its electricity, but a survey of Swiss people found that only seven per cent of respondents were totally in favor of energy production by nuclear power stations. Many large anti-nuclear demonstrations and protests have occurred over the years. Several referenda to ban nuclear power have been rejected by the Swiss people.

In 2008, nuclear energy provided Switzerland with 40 per cent of its electricity, but a survey of Swiss people found that only seven per cent of respondents were totally in favor of energy production by nuclear power stations. Many large anti-nuclear demonstrations and protests have occurred over the years. Several referenda to ban nuclear power have been rejected by the Swiss people.

Early movement
In the 70s, there was a strong international movement in the so-called »Dreyeckland« (Germany, Switzerland, France) against nuclear plants. In that time, the building place of the nuclear plant Kaiseraugst was squatted.

Referendum
Two referendums against nuclear power in 1979 and 1984 were lost. In 1990, a referendum was accepted to stop the building of new plants for ten years.

There were two referendums against nuclear power in 2003, one of them to end nuclear plants (Strom ohne Atom), the other one just a moratorium for new plants (Moratorium jetzt). Both failed. After that, the swiss anti-nuclear movement was nearly nonexistent for a while.

In 2012, there will be a new referendum about the usage of nuclear power.

New movement
In 2007, it became public that the industry plans to build new plants within the next years. This put new life in the movement.

In Benken, there is resistance against a final storage of nuclear waste.

Uranium mining
Currently the Canadian company AuroVallis is investigating the possibility of uranium mining in Wallis, a part of Switzerland. It is known since the early 80s that there are uranium ressources in Wallis, though at that time it was not commercially interesting. With the higher uranium price ("Peak Uranium"), it may become interesting to investigate new uranium ressources.

Public opinion
In 2008, nuclear energy provided Switzerland with 40 per cent of its electricity, but a survey of 1,026 Swiss people found that just seven per cent of respondents were totally in favor of energy production by nuclear power stations. Double that percentage were fully opposed. Most of the survey respondents said they were fairly in favor (33 per cent) or fairly opposed (38 per cent). Eight per cent had no answer. One of the most contenious issues is the disposal of radioactive waste. At present, spent nuclear material is "kept in temporary aboveground facilities while politicians and communities wrangle about where to bury it."

Anti-nuclear groups

 * Greenpeace Switzerland
 * Heinrichstrasse 147, Postfach, CH-8031 Zürich; phone: +41 44 4474141; fax: +41 44 4474199; [mailto:gpATgreenpeace.ch gp AT greenpeace.ch]
 * Pronatura/Friends of the Earth Switzerland
 * Gellertstrasse 29, CH-4052 Basel; phone: +41 61 3110382; fax: +41 61 3179266; [mailto:mailboxATpronatura.ch mailbox AT pronatura.ch]
 * WWF Switzerland
 * Hohlstrasse 110, Postfach, CH-8010 Zürich; phone: +41 44 2972121; fax: +41 44 2972100; http://de-de.facebook.com/WWFSchweiz, https://twitter.com/#!/WWF_Schweiz
 * Fokus Anti-Atom
 * c/o AMüs, Postfach 6307, CH-3001 Bern; phone: +41 79 3300660; [mailto:fokusantiatomATfokusantiatom.ch fokusantiatom AT fokusantiatom.ch]
 * NWA Schweiz
 * Murbacherstrasse 34, CH-4056 Basel; phone: +41 61 3224920; fax: +41 61 3220629; [mailto:nwa.bornATgmail.com nwa.born AT gmail.com]; http://www.facebook.com/nie.akw
 * NWA-BASEL, Philippe Bovet, Kanonengasse 29, CH-4051 Basel; phone: +41 61 2713129; [mailto:nwa.region.baselATgmail.com nwa.region.basel AT gmail.com]
 * NWA-BERN, Peter "Pitsch" Stutz, Frutigerstrasse 8, CH-3600 Thun; phone: +41 33 2233330; [mailto:nwa.bernATgmail.com nwa.bern AT gmail.com]
 * NWA-AARGAU, Ursula Nakamura, Ringmatt 115, CH-5063 Wölflinswil; phone: +41 62 8771664; [mailto:nwa-aargauATgmx.ch nwa-aargau AT gmx.ch]
 * NWA-SOLOTHURN, Philipp Hadorn, Florastrasse 17, CH-4563 Gerlafingen; phone: +41 32 6753004; [mailto:philipp.hadornATsev-online.ch philipp.hadorn AT sev-online.ch]
 * AKW-ADE
 * [mailto:muehleberg.abschaltenATgmail.com muehleberg.abschalten AT gmail.com]; https://twitter.com/#!MuehlebergAUS
 * Mühleberg - Ver-fahren
 * c/o Muhleberg - illimite-non, Postfach 6307, CH-3001 Bern; [mailto:muhlebergATgmail.com muhleberg AT gmail.com]
 * Mühleberg vom Netz
 * Postfach 144, CH-4537 Wiedlisbach
 * Franziska Herren, Oeleweg 8, CH-4537 Wiedlisbach; phone: +41 32 6361416
 * Walter Kummer, Gummenweg 6, CH-4539 Rumisberg; phone: +41 32 5304014
 * Menschenstrom gegen Atom
 * phone: +41 79 8712409; [mailto:infoATmenschenstrom.ch info AT menschenstrom.ch]
 * VOLLMOND-PICKNICK
 * phone: +41 77 4720139; [mailto:vollmondpicknickATimmerda.ch vollmondpicknick AT immerda.ch]
 * Ärztinnen und Ärzte für Umweltschutz
 * Murbacherstrasse 34, Postfach 111, CH-4013 Basel; phone: +41 61 3224949; fax: +41 61 3838049; [mailto:infoATaefu.ch info AT aefu.ch]
 * Nationales Ärztekomitee: Risiko begrenzen 2x Ja
 * [mailto:sekretariatATippnw.ch sekretariat AT ippnw.ch]
 * Kernfrauen Wein-Land
 * Postfach, CH-8466 Trüllikon; [mailto:infoATkernfrauen.ch info AT kernfrauen.ch]
 * Klar! Schweiz
 * Steig 1, CH-8465 Rudolfingen; [mailto:infoATklar-schweiz.com info AT klar-schweiz.com]
 * Klar! Züri Unterland
 * Hintereichenstrasse 9, CH-8166 Niederweningen; [mailto:infoATklar-zu.ch info AT klar-zu.ch]
 * Mitsprache des Nidwaldner Volkes bei Atomanlagen (MNA)
 * Postfach, CH-6371 Stans;
 * Anti Atom Koalition - Nein zu neuen AKW
 * c/o Greenpeace Schweiz, Heinrichstrasse 147, CH-8031 Zürich
 * REM: überwacht die Radiaktivität in Mühleberg
 * [mailto:remATradioaktivitaet.net rem AT radioaktivitaet.net]
 * Sortir du nucléaire
 * phone: +41 76 5170020; [mailto:infoATsortirdunucleaire.ch info AT sortirdunucleaire.ch]
 * UDEO
 * Contratom
 * Case postale 65, CH-1211 Genève 8; phone: +41 22 7404612; [mailto:infoATcontratom.ch info AT contratom.ch]

Organizations connected to nuclear issues

 * AVES Schweiz
 * Postfach 4733, СH-6304 Zug; phone: +41 41 5442544
 * Forum VERA
 * Hirschengraben 8, CH-3001 Bern; phone: +41 31 3118137; fax: +41 31 3118138; [mailto:infoATforumvera.ch info AT forumvera.ch]
 * Green Cross International
 * 9-11, rue de Varembé, CH-1202 Geneva; phone: +41 22 7891662, +41 22 7891695; [mailto:gcinternationalATgcint.org gcinternational AT gcint.org]; http://www.facebook.com/pages/Green-Cross-International/110761388763?ref=nf, https://twitter.com/#!/GreenCrossInt
 * Schweizerische Energie-Stiftung (SES)
 * Sihlquai 67, CH-8005 Zürich; phone: +41 44 2752121; fax: +41 44 2752120; [mailto:infoATenergiestiftung.ch info AT energiestiftung.ch]