London — The Swiss Academy of Sciences reported on Thursday that Switzerland’s alpine glaciers have lost 10% of their volume in just the past two years. This significant reduction is clear evidence of the “very critical state” of the climate. Surprisingly, the glaciers have lost as much ice in the last two years as they did in the entire 30-year period between 1960 and 1990.
According to the report, the rate of ice loss in 2023 was 4%, making it the second worst year on record after 2022, when they lost 6% of their volume. Matthias Huss, the head of GLAMOS, an organization monitoring glaciers in Switzerland and collecting data for the academy’s report, expressed concern over this trend, stating, “We’ve witnessed the two worst years back-to-back, and this is even more alarming.”
The extreme weather conditions of the past two years have led to the complete disappearance of many smaller Swiss glaciers and the collapse of some glacier tongues. These tongues are the parts of the glaciers that extend into bodies of water.
Huss emphasized the importance of this evidence, stating, “I hope that this is one more piece of evidence that really shows that the climate system is really in a very critical state.”
The Swiss Academy of Sciences attributes the record ice loss to high summer temperatures and low snow volumes during the winter. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) also reported that the summer of 2023 was the “hottest three months on record” globally, warning that “climate breakdown has begun.” Christopher Hewitt, WMO Director of Climate Services, expressed concern about the future, stating, “We are in uncharted territory, and we can expect more records to fall as El Nino develops further, and these impacts will extend into 2024. This is worrying news for the planet.”
Glacier experts have warned that without a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, some of the world’s larger glaciers could disappear within a generation.
Traditionally, glacial ice accumulated during the winter and provided vital water for crops, transportation, and millions of people across multiple continents as it gradually melted and fed rivers. Huss highlighted the visibility and impact of glaciers disappearing, stating, “They make it very visible. People can truly understand what is happening when they witness huge glaciers vanishing and shrinking. This is much more striking than looking at another graph showing rising temperatures.”
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