Govind Tekale
Climate change forces Switzerland and Italy to redraw their border as melting glaciers alter the landscape.
Photo source: google
Photo Source: Google
The Theodul Glacier, nestled between Monte Cervino and Breithorn, has lost a quarter of its mass since 1973, exposing bedrock and changing drainage patterns.
Switzerland has approved the new border, but will Italy follow suit in this unprecedented geographical shift?
Europe's fifth-largest ski resort, Matterhorn Ski Paradise, spans the affected area, with hikers and skiers freely crossing between countries.
Swiss glaciers are vanishing at an alarming rate, with 10% lost between 2021 and 2023 – equivalent to the melt from 1960 to 1990.
Summer 2023 broke heat records, pushing the freezing point to a staggering 5,300 meters in the Swiss Alps.
The border shift aims to protect economic interests and improve emergency response in high-altitude areas.
A shocking forecast: 90% of Alpine glaciers could disappear by 2100 if emissions continue to rise rapidly.
Even if global warming stopped today, glaciers would still lose 40% of their current volume by 2050 due to delayed climate response.
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