Summary

On April 15, 2026, the Federal Council requested the write-off of FDP Motion 20.4063 on nationwide underground exploration. The motion called for a national prospection program for geological mapping with costs of at least 100 million francs. Although the Federal Council had originally recommended the motion for acceptance, the required financial resources are lacking in the tight federal budget. Work already begun on a geological prospection concept is to be completed by the end of 2026 using existing resources. The National Council and Council of States will make the final decision on the write-off.

Persons

  • FDP-Liberal Parliamentary Group (Motion Sponsor)

Topics

  • Underground exploration
  • Geothermal energy and energy transition
  • CO₂ storage
  • Federal budget and financing
  • Geological prospection

Clarus Lead

The rejection signals a conflict between climate policy ambitions and fiscal realities. While the federal government classifies geothermal energy and CO₂ storage as central decarbonization instruments, comprehensive exploration investments are subordinated to the relief package 2027. This could delay innovations in subsurface resource utilization—a critical point for Switzerland's energy transition after 2030.

Detailed Summary

Motion 20.4063 aimed to systematically expand knowledge about geological subsurface conditions. The research interest was multidimensional: resource extraction (geothermal energy, electricity, minerals), storage (heat, cold, CO₂), and infrastructure relocation (for example, underground transportation). An interdisciplinary team from industry and science subsequently developed a national geological prospection concept with detailed cost estimates.

The cost analysis revealed a central problem: even the minimum variant of national prospection would require over 100 million francs. This sum significantly exceeds available budget flexibility and would jeopardize the federal government's cost-cutting course. Instead of implementing the motion, the prospection concept is being made available as a "valuable technical planning basis" for private and semi-private actors.

However, the Federal Council ensures continuity in certain areas: geothermal exploration projects will continue to be supported through existing funding instruments of the Energy Act and CO₂ Act. For geological CO₂ storage after 2030, a new framework law and a revision of the CO₂ Act are planned—both intended to create improved conditions. Work on the prospection concept itself will be completed by the end of 2026 using internal resources from the DETEC and VBS departments.

Key Statements

  • The Federal Council rejects the 100-million-franc motion despite originally supporting it—for budgetary reasons.
  • A national prospection concept will nonetheless be completed as a planning instrument, but without comprehensive implementation.
  • Geothermal energy and CO₂ storage remain a priority, but with smaller support measures rather than major investments.

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence/Data Quality: Is the cost estimate of 100+ million francs based on comparable projects domestically or abroad, or are these initial estimates without benchmarks?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: Which industry actors were involved in developing the prospection concept, and could their interests have skewed the cost estimate upward?

  3. Causality/Alternatives: Could a phased implementation (regional pilot projects instead of nationwide prospection) have reduced costs to a sustainable level?

  4. Feasibility/Risks: How effective is the completed prospection concept without central coordination and financing for use by decentralized actors?

  5. Timing: Does the write-off until the end of 2026 delay critical findings for the energy transition after 2030, particularly for CO₂ storage?

  6. Financing: Can private or cantonal actors partially finance underground exploration to relieve federal resources?

Sources

Primary Source: Federal Council – Report on Write-off of Motion 20.4063 "End the Black Box. Climate Protection, Energy Security and Infrastructure Utilization Through Underground Research" – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/YLy_LtavFEHVN2-XM-Bd3

Verification Status: ✓ 15.04.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 15.04.2026