Andrea Burkhardt
Head of the Climate Division, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland
Andrea Burkhardt graduated in economics, business administration, and political sciences. For more than 16 years she has been working with the Federal Office for the Environment. As head of the climate division she is in charge of translating UNFCCC provisions into national legislation as well as implementing instruments such as a carbon tax, emissions trading and market mechanisms.
Focus and Tasks:
- in charge of Swiss climate policy;
- implements international provisions (United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement);
- prepares national legislation (CO2 act) and implements market based instruments such as CO2 levy, voluntary agreements, emissions trading, offset projects within and outside Switzerland;
- co-ordinates measures to adapt to climate change based on a national adaptation strategy;
- measures greenhouse gas emissions (GHG inventory, CO2 statistics) and reviews effectiveness of climate policy;
- informs the general public on causes and impacts of climate change