Alpine Ice in Retreat: Switzerland’s Glaciers Shrink Rapidly Amid Global Warming
Alpine Ice in Retreat: Switzerland’s Glaciers Shrink Rapidly Amid Global Warming
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Switzerland’s glaciers are retreating at an unprecedented pace due to accelerating global warming, according to a BBC report cited by Anadolu Agency.
Recent data from the Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland (GLAMOS) indicates that the country’s glaciers have shed a quarter of their total ice volume over the last ten years. In 2022 alone, Switzerland lost nearly 6% of its remaining glacier ice—a historically extreme loss—with significant reductions continuing through 2023, 2024, and 2025.
As a tangible example, what was once a short walk from the parking area to the Rhône Glacier 35 years ago is now a half-hour trek. Furthermore, smaller glaciers, like the Pizol, have completely vanished.
This rapid retreat poses serious risks to water resources, as glaciers serve as natural reservoirs supplying meltwater for rivers, irrigation, hydropower, and drinking water.
Scientists emphasize that the speed of the melt is driven by human-caused climate change. They warn that a large part of future melting is “locked in” even if global temperatures stabilize, due to the lag in the glaciers’ response. However, limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels could still preserve half of the remaining mountain glacier ice.
