"We will not give up entire valleys"

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• The president of the mountain cantons, Carmelia Maissen, says that no villages will be abandoned despite the storm damage.
• As long as global warming continues, evacuations will increase, warns ETH Professor David Bresch.
• He also points out that it is not only the finances but also the emotions that need to be considered.
• At the same time, it is also about personal responsibility, says Gresch with a view to building owners who erect houses in danger zones.

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The president of the mountain cantons, Carmelia Maissen, has warned against a "truncated and cynical view" of the resettlement of Alpine valleys. ETH professor David Bresch also emphasized that the discussion is not only about finances but also about emotions and homeland.

In an interview with the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper, the Graubünden councillor (center) said that resettlement could occur in individual cases. "We will certainly not give up entire valleys," said Maissen. However, it is a fact that settlement has always been subject to change. This will also be the case in the future.

The settlement of the mountain region has always been subject to change, said Graubünden councillor Carmelia Maissen to the NZZ am Sonntag.

Archive image: Keystone

Settlement areas and infrastructure have increased in recent years. As a result, the areas have become more vulnerable, said the president of the mountain cantons. But we must not forget: "The last few days have also shown that we have done a lot of things right over the last 50 years," said Maissen.

Include climate scenarios

According to the cantonal councillor, it is now time to analyze the storms. Taking climate scenarios into account, it is necessary to evaluate with foresight where the weak points lie.

In an interview with the SonntagsZeitung newspaper, ETH professor David Bresch said that global warming had not been taken into account when drawing up the hazard maps. This must change.

"As long as global warming continues, evacuations will increase," said the Professor of Weather and Climate Risks. The phenomenon is not new. The damage will also increase.

Emotional and financial benefits

Whether the financial outlay for protective measures is worthwhile cannot be answered across the board for an area, said Bresch. However, the question arises for individual, very exposed locations. He appealed to people to take personal responsibility.

Bresch said: "You also have to ask yourself honestly: why am I here, why did I buy this property?". The benefits are not only financially quantifiable, but also "highly emotional". The discussion about relocation is being conducted from a purely monetary perspective, criticized Maissen.

Resettlement would be a serious intervention for those affected, who would lose their homes, said the President of the Conference of the Governments of the Cantons of Uri, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Glarus, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Graubünden, Ticino and Valais.

In addition to the mountain population, the performance of the mountain regions for the country as a whole is also being disregarded: Electricity production, transport and supply infrastructure and recreational areas. Decentralized settlement is enshrined in the Federal Constitution. "We must therefore do everything possible and sensible to ensure that this remains the case," said Maissen.