How melting glaciers are causing borders to shift in Italy and Switzerland

Melting glaciers are prompting the redrawing of maps along the Swiss-Italian border amid record-low snowfall and warming temperatures. Part of the impacted area is beneath the Matterhorn, one of Europe's tallest mountains, and in the region of Plateau Rosa. All of the regions involved in the redrawn boundaries are close to popular ski resorts.

The changes come as glacier ridgelines or areas of continuous snow along the two countries border have caused natural boundaries to shift.

Switzerland said that it approved the tweaks to the border on Friday, Sept. 27, but that Italy was still in the process of "signing" the agreement between the two nations.

Switzerland said that the redrawn boundaries are in the economic interests of both nations. Experts also note that the new boundaries help sort out which country will be responsible for maintenance of specific natural areas along the boundaries.

Data showed that Switzerland's glaciers lost 4% of their volume in 2023 following 2022's biggest loss ever of the glaciers volume of 6% after record-low snowfall that year. Researchers have warned that if these trends continue that the recession of glacier ridgelines will only accelerate.

The diminishing snow and accelerated melting area also uncovering some mysteries. The remains of a German hiker missing since 1986 were found earlier this year near Matterhorn, and in 2022, the wreckage crash in 1968 close to the Aletsch Glacier was revealed.

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