DSS
Federal Office for the Environment FOEN
The material footprint (raw material consumption, RMC) indicates the total quantity of raw materials that are required in Switzerland or abroad to cover Swiss demand for goods and services. All materials that are consumed in the product life cycle are included in this indicator. The extraction, transport, use and disposal of material pollute the environment due to land use and emissions. A reduction of the material footprint is therefore important.
medium
unsatisfactory
The planetary boundary is estimated to be around 5 to 8 tonnes per capita (UBA 2015), although the varying relevance of different raw materials for the environment must be taken into account. In the 2030 Sustainable Development Strategy, the federal government’s aim is a considerable reduction in the per capita material footprint in line with Paris Climate Agreement target of keeping global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
At an average rate of around 46%, non-metallic minerals were the material category with the highest level of consumption between 2000 and 2023. They are mainly used in the construction industry (sand, gravel etc.).
Switzerland’s material footprint per capita fell by 5.44 tonnes between 2000 and 2023 and was approximately 15 tonnes in 2023. This reduction since 2019 is primarily attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The total value of the material footprint decreased by 8.4% between 2000 and 2023 to reach 134.1 million tonnes in 2023.
Material efficiency, measured by dividing Switzerland’s gross domestic product and raw material consumption in tonnes, improved by 65% between 2000 and 2023.
The material footprint per capita in 2023 has only decreased by 0.95% compared to 2022. This slight reduction suggests challenges in achieving the set targets, which is why the status is considered poor. The trend observed has been positive for several years. However, it would only allow the planetary boundary to be reached by 2050 if additional efforts were made. The trend is therefore adjusted to an unsatisfactory status.
Switzerland's material footprint in 2023 was above the European average (EU-27, Eurostat 2024) and the global average (SCP Hotspot Analysis).
This indicator describes the raw material consumption caused by domestic final demand. Raw materials are also used abroad to produce, transport, use and dispose of goods and services consumed in Switzerland. The indicator includes both resource consumption that occurs abroad and the percentage of domestic extraction that is used to cover Swiss final demand. All materials extracted from nature, with the exception of water and air, are taken into account.
The data concerning domestic raw material consumption are collected as part of the environmental accounts compiled by the Federal Statistical Office, which are satellite accounts of the national accounts. The environmental accounts are in line with the UN’s System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA). The data presented in this indicator are based on an adaptation of the Eurostat method, which involves converting a country’s imports and exports into raw material equivalents (RME). RME indicators are the result of modelling and entail greater uncertainty than direct flow indicators. They should therefore be considered as estimates.
Domestic final demand is calculated according to the national accounts and corresponds to the total final consumption expenditure of households and public administrations, gross fixed capital formation and changes in inventories.
| Targeted trend | Initial value | Final value | Variation in % | Observed trend | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decrease | Average 2000-2002 | Average 2021-2023 | -26.09% | Decrease | *unsatisfactory |
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Basis: t per capita *Modification of the final trend assessment result as justified in the comment |
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