Switzerland
Alpine Pass Names: Ancient Etymology and Climate-Threatened Valleys
The NZZ publishes on July 16, 2026 an article exploring the etymology of Swiss Alpine pass names, reflecting millennia of human crossings that shaped the region's multilingual landscape. The article also addresses pressing current challenges: permafrost melting in the Alps, with extreme floods and mudflows multiplying. According to the NZZ, Switzerland cannot avoid abandoning certain Alpine valleys—a long-standing taboo that is now being openly discussed. Concentration on regional Alpine centers is deemed necessary to address these transformations.