When mountains break away: living with danger

The residents of Blatten/CH want to rebuild their destroyed village – but it is still uncertain whether this will be possible. Other Alpine regions are now also asking themselves whether and which settlements are at risk from landslides. These are becoming more frequent owing to thawing permafrost and the ever-accelerating glacier melt. One example is the Fluchthorn in Austria where, in the summer of 2023, the summit ridge broke away – albeit in an uninhabited area. In July 2022, a glacier collapse on the Marmolada in the Italian Dolomites triggered an avalanche of ice and rock that claimed the lives of eleven people. Switzerland is particularly at risk: above the village of Kandersteg, 20 million cubic metres of rock are on the move. They would not fall directly into the village, but would most likely trigger devastating mudslides, as was the case with the landslide in Bondo in 2017.

How we can adapt

Centuries ago, the signs were the opposite: the Alpine population feared advancing glaciers and the associated bursting of glacial lakes. Today, however, the climate-induced retreat of glaciers and permafrost is creating new habitats and new dangers – as can be read in the special issue “After the glacier”. How can we humans adapt to this? “Organisational structures, a holistic approach and networking with local stakeholders are key”, says project manager Wolfgang Pfefferkorn, who implemented the MultiBios research project in collaboration with the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna, completed in spring 2025. Biosphere parks from German-speaking countries shared their experiences in dealing with climate risks and natural hazard management. A recent report by the German Federal Environment Agency examines the potential of nature-based measures to mitigate the effects of natural hazards in the Alpine region and the governance mechanisms behind them. The Alpine-wide Ground:breaking project also addresses soil sealing – an effective measure for mitigating the effects of flooding and heat waves.

Sources and further information:

www.derstandard.de/story/3000000272137/nicht-nur-in-der-schweiz-brechen-die-berge (de), www.swissinfo.ch/ger/klimaschutzlosungen/blatten-warum-all-die-bergst%C3%BCrze-in-der-schweiz-es-ist-kompliziert/89418023 (de), www.repubblica.it/green-and-blue/2025/05/29/news/blatten_crollo_ghiacciaio_svizzera_frana-424636128/ (it) www.sueddeutsche.de/panorama/unglueck-in-den-alpen-wie-kam-es-zum-gletscherabbruch-und-folgen-weitere-dpa.urn-newsml-dpa-com-20090101-250530-930-610107 (de)