Energy & the environment

When it comes to energy and protection of the environment, Bern is top of the class in Switzerland. The city has been committed to a sustainable use of energies and resources for years, which is why, in 2019, it was awarded the label “Energiestadt GOLD” for cities that meet particularly high energy standards. There are over 400 companies in Bern with some 6,000 employees that have expert knowledge in the fields of energy and the environment, and the Federal Office of Energy and the Federal Office for the Environment have their headquarters in Bern.

The city is also considered to be the centre of European climate research: numerous institutions in and around Bern are dedicated to this topic specifically. The Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Bern, for example, does research on the climate system and its interaction with society and the economy, playing a substantial role in the University of Bern’s focus on sustainability. The dedication and commitment of the University of Bern to the protection of the environment spans across all its institutions. And with the foundation of the Wyss Academy for Nature at the end of 2019, a globally leading research and implementation centre in the field of humans and nature was established.

In addition to its hugely successful research institutions, Bern is also home to an internationally active energy provider: BKW, the international energy and infrastructure company. Technical visits to the company’s hydroelectric, wind and solar power plants offer interesting practical examples and are an exclusive addition to any conference agenda. BKW is also in charge of the first nuclear decommissioning of a Swiss nuclear power plant and has been doing exciting pioneering work since December 2019.

And the “Mobiliar Lab” demonstrates just how well research and economy work together in Bern: the joint research initiative of the Swiss insurance company and the Oeschger Centre investigates and quantifies climate risks and natural hazards as well as their effects and does spatial renderings of these phenomena.

In Bern, the expertise in the fields of environment and energy is extensive, well-founded and diverse, so there are countless options for exciting presentations and renowned guest speakers at your event. The Bern Convention Bureau is happy to offer competent support.