The snowy mountains we associate with Switzerland are falling victim to climate change — and so are cornerstones of the Swiss economy: Warmer temperatures caused by climate change are leading to glacier loss and unpredictable snowmelt patterns that are changing the snowy peaks that are emblematic of Switzerland, and threatening farmers’ traditional way of life, reports the New York Times. The changing climes are also forcing farmers — who are responsible for Switzerland’s dairy industry, and by extension, their famous cheeses and chocolates — to adapt, the New York Times says.

The changes threaten cultural heritage and representation: Not only are the Swiss mountain aesthetics threatened, but other countries are feeling the heat. France has had a similar cheese-climate-related crisis: One of their specialties, Salers cheese, was not sold for the first time in 2k years in 2022 due to scorching temperatures. The favorite grape beverage also took a hit with Bordeaux winemakers considering abandoning their hectares due to changes in the temperature and drop in sales.

It’s not just the image — it’s also changing Europe’s water supply: Freshwater sources, which Europe relies on for everything from drinking and agriculture to manufacturing, are under pressure as a result of climate change, pollution, and other factors, says the European Environment Agency. There is particular cause for concern about Europe’s freshwater supplies as temperatures in Switzerland are increasing at twice the global average rate, leading glacier volume to drop by 10% in the past two years. For context, that’s the same rate of decrease between 1960 and 1990, according to the Swiss Academy of Sciences.

And there could be natural disasters:Deemed Europe’s reservoir, Swiss snow melts into the runoff that sustains European rivers — this means we could be looking at natural disasters such as floods, landslides, and collapsing glaciers that can threaten nearby villages and towns.

What’s being done about it? NGOs have been pushing for an EU Climate and Water Resilience Law, according to the World Wildlife Fund. The UN Water Conference is also marking 2025 as the International Year of Glacier Preservation to set a plan to adapt to glacier changes with water resources and societal effects in mind.

It isn’t all bad for everyone in the mountains due to varying microclimates. Many farmers have had to shorten their summer graze due to droughts but others are enjoying more productive fields and pushing back their return to the valleys. But for the most part, practices that farmers rely on for income are being threatened. The Mottier family is one of 70 in the area who make L’Etivaz cheese and, with cows needing 80-100 liters of water a day, droughts put a wrench in the business.

Centenarians operate over 2.2k shell companies, Moody’s finds: Organizations looking to hide their ownership structures and questionable corporate relationships are turning to shell companies with atypical directorship, research from Moody’s Analytics found in November, reports Bloomberg. The entities allow organizations to input aged individuals as company directors — with the oldest clocking in at 942 years old, placing his birth in the 11th century, while Moody’s also cite mass registration, dormancy and circular ownership.

Some of these shell companies are (kind of) right here at home: Some 22k entities were said to have an address registered to the Giza Pyramids. (Talk about Western stereotypes…)

While many shell companies operate for legitimate reasons, their lack of transparency and regulation can enable criminal financial activity. Moody’s Analytics has collected the data to indicate the ways in which shell companies empower organizations to launder funds, with USD 1.6 tn reportedly laundered annually.

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