Environment and sustainable development in Switzerland: confederation, states and metropolitan zones. – The ecological footprint and local biocapacity of the different states and the 5 metropolitan zones of Switzerland is presented. An important diversity and heterogeneity is apparent. This adds to the complex Swiss climatic pattern that is currently under change. The achievement of a global and local sustainable development will need new adaptations both at the institutional level and for the scientific approach of this territorial and economic reality (confederation, states, metropolitan areas, cities), as well as with the dynamics of the private economical sector, if one wants to eliminate growing socio-economical dispari­ties and not to worsen the state of the environment.