Science Switzerland Cost of Saving Villages from Melting Glaciers

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Is it worth the Cost? Switzerland Confronts the Rising Cost of Saving Villages from Melting Glaciers

 

In the picturesque Loetschental valley of Switzerland, Matthias Bellwald strolls through the main street, exchanging smiles, handshakes, and warm greetings from locals. Though he serves as mayor, this is not his home village. Just two months ago, his own community of Blatten, only three miles away, was obliterated when a section of mountain and glacier collapsed into the valley below.

 

 

The catastrophe came after geologists warned of growing instability. All 300 residents were evacuated in time, sparing lives but not livelihoods. Homes, farms, hotels, and the village church were reduced to rubble. “The feeling of the village, all the small alleys through the houses, the church, the memories you had when you played there as a child… all this is gone,” said Lukas Kalbermatten, who lost the hotel that had been in his family for three generations. He now lives in temporary accommodation in Wiler, where Bellwald has set up a provisional office to oversee the monumental cleanup and eventual rebuild.

 

 

Bellwald is optimistic that the debris can be cleared by 2028, with the first new homes completed the following year. But the financial burden is staggering—rebuilding Blatten could cost hundreds of millions of dollars, amounting to as much as $1 million per resident. Public donations swiftly raised millions of Swiss francs, and both federal and cantonal authorities pledged financial aid. Still, some are questioning whether such a massive investment is justified.

 

Two-thirds of Switzerland is mountainous, and scientists warn that climate change is destabilizing these landscapes. Glaciers are melting, and permafrost—the frozen ground that acts like glue to hold mountains together—is thawing, raising the likelihood of landslides and rockfalls. Switzerland already spends nearly $500 million annually on protective structures, yet a 2007 parliamentary report estimated that full protection against natural hazards might cost six times that amount.

 

The question is unavoidable: should the nation pour billions into safeguarding every vulnerable community, or face the painful reality of abandoning some villages altogether? A November 2024 study by the Swiss Federal Research Institute found that climate change is “rapidly altering high mountain environments, including changing the frequency, dynamic behavior, location, and magnitude of alpine mass movements,” though it noted that quantifying the exact role of climate change remains “difficult.”

 

The challenge is not only financial but also deeply cultural. Many of these villages, such as those in Graubünden—the country’s largest holiday region—are beloved for their alpine charm, untouched landscapes, and long histories. Graubünden is home to ski resorts, hiking trails, and international destinations like St Moritz, which twice hosted the Winter Olympics, and Davos, host of the annual World Economic Forum.

 

Yet even here, the risks are evident. In Brienz, another Graubünden village, residents were evacuated over two years ago due to fears that the mountain above was shifting dangerously. They have yet to return. This past July, heavy rains across Switzerland intensified concerns, with geologists warning that a landslide appeared imminent.

 

As climate pressures mount, Switzerland faces an unenviable dilemma—invest heavily in preserving mountain communities at extraordinary cost, or accept that some may be lost to the very landscape that once sustained them. For those like Bellwald and Kalbermatten, the answer is personal, rooted in memories and a sense of belonging that no price tag can capture.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Source BBC  2025-08-05