Why are Italy and Switzerland redrawing their Alpine border?

Unlike most border changes that often happen due to conflicts, there is no dispute between Italy and Switzerland over this shift.

Switzerland and Italy redrew their shared border in the Alps last week, forced by melting glaciers that, along with vast snowfields, define large sections of the territorial boundary between the Central European neighbours.

In May 2023, an agreement to change the border was drawn up between Switzerland and Italy. That agreement was ratified by Switzerland last week and awaits approval from Italy. The border change will happen under the Matterhorn mountain, which straddles the two countries.

Unlike most border changes that are often the byproduct of wars or conflicts, there is no dispute between Italy and Switzerland over this shift. However, the trigger for the change is a worry for both: climate change, which has resulted in significant glacial melt since at least the 1970s.

So how are melting glaciers changing the Swiss-Italian border, where does the boundary between the two shift, and is Europe witnessing melting glaciers more generally?

“In the high mountains, significant sections of the Italian-Swiss border are determined by the watershed, represented by the crest line of glaciers, snowfields and perpetual snow,” the Swiss government explained in a statement on September 27. “However, with the melting of the glaciers, these natural elements evolve and redefine the national border when it is defined dynamically.”