Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Jamey Keaten

Switzerland’s ice mass declined by one-quarter this decade

  • Switzerland's glaciers experienced an "enormous" three per cent reduction in total volume this year, marking the fourth-largest annual decline on record.
  • This significant loss means Switzerland's ice mass, home to Europe's most glaciers, has decreased by one-quarter over the past decade.
  • Top Swiss glaciologists attribute the accelerated melting to global warming, specifically citing a winter with low snow depth and heatwaves in June and August.
  • The ongoing glacial retreat has implications for hydropower, tourism, farming, and water resources across Europe, with over 1,000 small glaciers in Switzerland already having vanished.
  • The melting is also impacting Switzerland's landscape, causing mountains to shift and ground to become unstable, as evidenced by a recent rock and ice mass incident in Blatten.

IN FULL

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.