2023-11-20 19:20:36
It was Monday, a little before noon. With orange vests on their backs and cans of paint in hand, two activists from the Renovate Switzerland collective sprayed gouache over the facade of the UBS bank, located rue de la Corraterie, in Geneva. Written in thick orange letters was a question – “100 years?” – alluding to “the time it would take for Switzerland, at the current rate, to thermally renovate all its buildings,” explains one of the activists. And added: “Proper insulation would be a simple and accessible first measure to reduce our direct emissions in Switzerland.”
Why specifically attack the bank with three keys? “This is one of the largest real estate owners in the country, which is by far not sufficiently renovating its assets,” specifies the other activist. When contacted, the establishment in question responded in writing that “each kWh of electricity consumed by UBS is covered by renewable electricity sources and is certified by the corresponding guarantees of origin”. And added that “compliance with these requirements is subject to an annual external audit”.
At this stage, the Public Prosecutor’s Office is not commenting on possible sanctions. The paint, for its part, was cleaned within the hour.
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#UBS #tarnished #climate
