Switzerland’s glaciers have experienced one of their worst years on record for ice loss. New data shows that about 5.5% of the glacier’s remaining mass has disappeared over the past 12 months, a rate that scientists consider extremely high.
According to the researchers, high temperatures during the summer, especially intense heat waves in May and June, significantly accelerated the melting. The mild winter had also left less snow than usual in the Alps. When the snow melted quickly, the exposed ice, which absorbs more solar energy, began to melt even faster.
Matthias Huss, head of Glacier Monitoring Switzerland, described the situation as “truly catastrophic.” Until recently, a loss of 2% of the ice in a year was considered extreme, he said, but this year the loss has reached around 5.5%.
The consequences are not only related to the Alpine landscape. Glaciers are a natural water reservoir and during hot periods contribute to the water supply for agriculture, hydroelectric power plants and transport. From July to September alone, Swiss glaciers released around 2.2 trillion liters of meltwater.
This amount has helped ease water shortages during the summer, but scientists warn that this is a resource that cannot be replaced quickly. The ice that is melting is water stored for decades or centuries. The more the glaciers shrink, the less water will be available during future heat waves and droughts.
The situation is particularly worrying at high altitudes. Researchers have found that even at around 3,500 meters above sea level, there was no snow left in some areas at the end of summer. Some glaciers have measured up to four meters of ice loss at the highest points, where there should normally be several meters of winter snow.
Scientists also warn that melting and thinning glaciers could destabilize mountain slopes, increasing the risk of landslides and flash floods.
Several small glaciers in Switzerland have already disappeared completely. However, researchers point out that rapidly reducing carbon emissions could slow the loss of ice in many parts of the world. For glaciers, the message is clear: what is happening today is not just a loss of the Alpine landscape, but a depletion of a natural water reserve that will be increasingly difficult to restore.