Interactive Workshop: Simulating an Expert Hearing on Climate Protection at the Swiss Parliament

Do you want to understand how climate policies are developed and adapted in the Swiss parliament — and which role experts with various backgrounds, such as NGOs, industry or science, play in this process? Then this workshop is for you: over the course of half a day, you will experience a mix of short input lectures and an interactive, immersive simulation. Participants take on different roles in a reenacted expert hearing of the Environment, Spatial planning and Energy committee of the Council of States of the Swiss parliament.

Introductory inputs provide an overview of the Swiss political system, the role of expertise within it, and effective communication strategies—setting the stage for the following simulation. This simulation revolves around a hypothetical amendment to the federal Climate and Innovation Law, which has been in force since early 2025. You’ll step into the shoes of politicians and experts to experience firsthand the challenges…