Author: Henri van Soest

Watching the Swiss: The transformative power of the Swiss energy referendum

Henri van Soest
Posted on by Henri van Soest
Last week, Switzerland held a referendum on the country's controversial new energy law. A large majority of the Swiss citizens voted in favour of the new law. This means that Switzerland is suddenly bound by stringent renewable energy targets. In one vote, Switzerland moves from lagging behind in terms of renewable energy to being one of the bellwethers in the global Energiewende. The current situation At the moment, Switzerland does not have a very green energy mix. This is mainly... Read More »

Bug fixing the law: Regulation of insects as an alternative protein source

Henri van Soest
Posted on by Henri van Soest
Upcoming changes in EU legislation could signal the breakthrough of insect-based protein in Europe. Insect-based proteins are one of the most abundant sources of alternative proteins. Up until now, however, the legal framework surrounding insect-based proteins has been very complex, with many regulations being unprepared for the possibility of using insects as both feed for animals and food for human consumption. Upcoming EU legislation will likely bring more clarity. Impacts Two major EU regulations are in the pipeline. First of... Read More »