Glacier melt causes dispute over Italian-Swiss border
An alpine lodge originally in Italy is now two-thirds in Switzerland thanks to global warming, reports Swiss public broadcaster RTS.
This content was published on
2 minutes
RTS/jc
This is because the border marked by the Theodul glacier is shifting northwards as it melts. The Matterhorn Guides or Testa Grigia Refuge, which stands at 3,457 metres, has been the subject of intense diplomatic negotiations over three years because of the border shift, writes RTSExternal link. The refuge offers accommodation and food for skiers near the Testa Grigia peak.
The Theodul glacier lost almost a quarter of its mass between 1973 and 2010, giving way to rock. This has forced Switzerland and Italy to redraw a few dozen metres of their border.
According to Alain Wicht, a specialist in delineation of the Swiss border at the Federal Office of Topography (Swisstopo), such adjustments are frequent and are generally settled by comparing the surveys carried out by the two countries’ teams, without political intervention.
He told RTS that the land is generally less valuable. But the presence of the Matterhorn Guides hut means that here there is a building that gives “economic value” to the land.
The strategic position of the building attracts a lot of interest, reports RTS. It is located at the junction of the slopes of Zermatt and Cervinia, one of the largest ski areas in the world. The area is also at the heart of a huge modernisation project that will allow pedestrians to travel directly by gondola from Switzerland to Italy.
A compromise was proposed in November 2021, in which the hut would remain Italian in exchange for a piece of territory that would help Switzerland for a future project, the president of Zermatt told RTS. But the details of this plan remain secret, as it still has to be approved by the state authorities of both countries.
More
More
In pursuit of the crystal hunters
This content was published on
In the Swiss Alps, a melting glacier has revealed crystal tools made by hunter-gatherers. Now archaeologists are examining what they left behind.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
Swiss study: insects mainly migrate at midday and dusk
This content was published on
A study led by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in canton Lucerne is helping to better understand the movement patterns of migratory insects.
Red Cross: 22 staff killed in Middle East since October
This content was published on
The Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Gaza and Israel has lost 22 staff members since last October, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) said on Wednesday.
Dortmund’s Kobel is first Swiss goalie in Champions League final
This content was published on
Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel has achieved history by becoming the first Swiss goalkeeper to reach a Champion’s League final.
University students in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave
This content was published on
Pro-Palestinian activists occupied university buildings in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich on Tuesday, widening the protest movement in the Alpine nation.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.