Climate change forces Switzerland, Italy to redraw part of border

Switzerland and Italy have redrawn their border crossing the Alps as historically defined boundaries are being altered by melting glaciers.

The two countries agreed to the changes under the Matterhorn, one of Europe’s highest mountains, which runs through the Swiss region of Zermatt and Italy’s Aosta Valley.

“Large sections of the border are defined by watershed lines, glacial ridges or permanent snow. These formations are being altered by melting glaciers,” the Swiss government said in a statement, according to Bloomberg.

The famous ski resort of Zermatt has been affected by climate change, as the two countries agreed to adjust the borders around the tourist attractions "Testa Grigia", "Plateau Rosa", "Rifugio Carrel" and "Gobba di Rollin" based on their economic interests, according to Bloomberg.

A joint Italian-Swiss committee approved the changes in May 2023, and Switzerland officially approved the redrawing treaty last Friday, while Italy still needs to sign.

The changes come after a long-running dispute between the two countries over territory that has lasted for years.

It is worth noting that Swiss glaciers lost 4% of their volume in 2023, the second largest annual decline on record, according to the Swiss Academy of Sciences. The biggest drop was 6% in 2022.

Experts have stopped measuring ice on some Swiss glaciers because there is none left.

This month, experts in Italy suggested that the Marmolada glacier, the largest and most iconic in the Dolomites, could melt entirely by 2040 as temperatures rise.

Source: The Guardian - https://ar.rt.com/yet2