- Swiss glaciers are rapidly melting.
- A German climber missing since 1986 was found near the Matterhorn.
- Wreckage from a 1968 plane crash was uncovered from the Aletsch Glacier.
- Jonathan Conville's body was found in 2014 near the Matterhorn.
Switzerland and Italy have revised a section of their Alpine border due to climate change-induced melting glaciers. This adjustment affects areas beneath the Matterhorn, one of Europe’s highest peaks, and near popular ski resorts.
Historically, many parts of the Swiss-Italian border have been defined by glacier ridgelines and perpetual snow. However, the recent melting has prompted both countries to address the shifting natural boundaries.
Switzerland officially approved the border change on Friday, while Italy is still in the process of ratifying the agreement. This move follows a draft proposal made by a joint Swiss-Italian commission in May 2023.
Statistics released last September revealed that Switzerland’s glaciers lost 4% of their volume in 2023, marking the second-largest loss on record after a 6% reduction in 2022. The Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network (Glamos) attributed these significant losses to a series of exceptionally warm summers and low snowfall during the winter of 2022. Researchers warn that if these weather patterns persist, glacier thawing will only accelerate.
On Friday, Switzerland announced that the revised borders were established in alignment with the economic interests of both nations. This clarification is expected to help determine which country is responsible for maintaining specific natural areas.
The changes will affect the borders in the Plateau Rosa region, as well as near the Carrel refuge and Gobba di Rollin, all close to the Matterhorn and popular ski resorts like Zermatt.
The exact modifications will be implemented and published once both countries have finalized the agreement. Switzerland indicated that the approval process for signing the agreement is currently underway in Italy.
Last year, Glamos issued a warning that certain Swiss glaciers are retreating at such an alarming rate that they are unlikely to be saved, even if global temperatures are maintained within the Paris climate agreement’s target rise of 1.5°C.
Experts indicate that, without a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with global warming, larger glaciers, such as the Aletsch Glacier—though not located on the border—could vanish within a generation.
Recent years have seen several significant discoveries on Swiss glaciers as they continue to melt and shrink rapidly.
Last July, human remains found near the Matterhorn were identified as belonging to a German climber who had been missing since 1986.
Climbers traversing the Theodul Glacier above Zermatt uncovered a hiking boot and crampons protruding from the ice.
Additionally, in 2022, the wreckage of a plane that crashed in 1968 was revealed by the Aletsch Glacier.
In 2014, the body of missing British climber Jonathan Conville was discovered by a helicopter pilot who noticed something unusual while delivering supplies to a mountain refuge on the Matterhorn.
