GENEVA -- GENEVA (AP) — Switzerland , known for natural beauty like pristine lakes and majestic Alpine peaks, ranks among the world's richest countries whose plant and animal life is under the greatest threat. Environmentalists are seeking better protections for the country's biodiversity in a nationwide vote that culminates Sunday. The latest polls suggest that initial enthusiasm has waned for the proposal that would boost public funding to encourage farmers and others to set aside lands and waterways to let the wild develop more, and increase the total area allocated for green spaces that must remain untouched by human development.
The contest, which is mostly decided by mail-in ballots followed by a morning of in-person voting Sunday, still looks tight: A poll by the respected agency gfs.bern for the Swiss public broadcaster published Sept. 11 showed support falling to 46% in early September from 51% survey in an earlier poll in mid-August.
The federal government — parliament and the executive branch — opposes the plan, as do many rural voters and the country's main right-wing party, according to polls. They call it too costly, say 600 million Swiss francs (over $700 million) is already spent on biodiversity protection each year, and fear economic development will suffer. Passage would cost at least another 400 million francs for national and local governments, the Federal Council estimates.
The initiative would also, for example, prohibit construction of new railway.