Équiterre

Équiterre was a Swiss association dedicated to sustainable development, active from its renaming in 2002 until its dissolution in 2018. It advised public communities and private enterprises on the path toward sustainable development, with a particular focus on the 2000-watt society vision. The association conducted studies, developed teaching materials, and led projects related to health, environment, urban gardening, and sustainable neighbourhoods. Its activities included health impact assessments (EIS), air quality improvement, noise abatement, and promotion of local food and therapeutic gardens. The association was dissolved on 30 April 2018 due to insolvency, after a general assembly decision on 17 March 2018. Its remaining three employees were taken over by the Geneva-based association Actions-Durables. The website equiterre.ch remains online as an archive of its projects and mission.

The history of Équiterre begins in 1964 with the creation of the Institut de la vie, a French-speaking Swiss association, and in 1971 with the creation of the Société suisse pour la protection du milieu vital, a German-speaking Swiss association. Both were involved in the project to revise the Swiss Constitution (1973–1999). In 1971, the Swiss Constitution included an environmental article for the first time: article 24 septies on environmental protection, marking the Confederation's intention to legislate on harm to the natural environment. In 1986, the Schweizerhalle disaster triggered awareness of gaps in legislation concerning chemicals, marking a turning point in environmental protection. In 1987, the environment became a federal subject integrated into the Swiss Constitution revision project. The importance of acting at the federal level motivated the two associations to come together in 1987, leading to the creation of the Société suisse pour la protection de l'environnement (SPE). As part of the planned revision of the Swiss Constitution, the SPE, recognizing the need for a legal framework, developed its lobbying actions at the federal level. The SPE's objective focused essentially on environmental protection, with main themes of air cleanliness and noise abatement. From the late 1990s, the SPE broadened its themes from air cleanliness and noise abatement to sustainable development, health impacts (EIS), and generally the relationship between humans and territory. In 2002, the SPE took its current name "Équiterre, partenaire pour le développement durable". Natacha Litzistorf served as director for fifteen years, and Hervé Pichelin succeeded her on 1 September 2016 after her election to the Lausanne municipal government on 28 February 2016, with her term beginning on 1 July 2016. The association conducted missions in global sustainable development policy as well as specific missions. It could carry out strategic approaches with a municipality or neighbourhood for the development or creation of sustainable neighbourhoods. It created and made available materials for teaching or practising behaviours related to health, environment, sustainable development, and the creation of urban gardens. It conducted health impact assessment (EIS) studies. It led projects related to daily health preservation: indoor air quality, routes adapted for the elderly, eating local, therapeutic gardens. Its achievements included Equitinéraires, revitalization of neighbourhoods through participation, urban gardens, interstitial gardens and promotion of urban agriculture, therapeutic gardens, and health impact studies (EIS) of air traffic (Cointrin) and wind turbines (Jura). The general assembly of Équiterre decided on 17 March 2018 to dissolve the association as of 30 April 2018 for insolvency. The decline in membership and the internalization of sustainable development actions by companies, municipalities, and cantons had reduced the number of mandates and the association's resources over several years. The Geneva association Actions-Durables took over the last three employees of Équiterre.

• 2018

  General assembly decides dissolution on 17 March; association ceases activities on 30 April due to insolvency.

• 2016

  Hervé Pichelin succeeds Natacha Litzistorf as director on 1 September.

• 2002

  SPE takes the name "Équiterre, partenaire pour le développement durable".

• 1987

  The two associations merge to create the Société suisse pour la protection de l'environnement (SPE).

• 1986

  Schweizerhalle disaster triggers awareness of gaps in chemicals legislation.

• 1971

  Creation of the Société suisse pour la protection du milieu vital, a German-speaking Swiss association; Swiss Constitution includes article 24 septies on environmental protection.

• 1964

  Creation of the Institut de la vie, a French-speaking Swiss association.

Non-profit association providing expertise and support for sustainable development to public and private actors in Switzerland.

• Equitinéraires

  A project for revitalizing neighbourhoods through participation.

• Urban gardens and interstitial gardens

  Promotion of urban agriculture and creation of gardens in urban spaces.

• Therapeutic gardens

  Gardens designed for therapeutic purposes.

• Health impact assessment (EIS)

  Studies assessing health impacts, e.g., of air traffic at Cointrin and wind turbines in the Jura.

1. 1Equiterre | Vereinequiterre.ch
2. 2Equiterre (Suisse) - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org
3. 3Equiterre - Wikidatawikidata.org