Italy and Switzerland Redraw Their Border Beneath the Matterhorn Due to Shrinking Glaciers

In what is likely the first formal change in the global map as a direct result of human-furthered climate change, Switzerland and Italy have redrawn their border due to melting glaciers. Bloomberg reported that Switzerland ratified the change Friday with Italy expected to do the same shortly.

Directly impacted in this change is Zermatt ski resort, specifically where hikers cross from Switzerland into Italy’s Valtournenche valley. Directly below the Matterhorn peak, glaciers have receded to the point that the previously recognized boundary no longer exists as such. The idea to redraw this portion of the border between the two countries was brought forward last year.

While the change isn’t drastic and most visitors to the region won’t even notice, the fact that a changing climate is shifting boundaries is a reminder to travelers to be aware of their impact on the places they visit, and on the planet as a whole. As glaciers retreat familiar mountain routes can become dangerously unstable. Chamonix, the popular ski region in France, has also experienced significant glacial retreat in recent years, and future impacts to outdoor recreation in the European mountains is likely to come forth.