Swiss glaciers lose of greater than 5% in ice quantity in 2026

Glaciers in Switzerland have misplaced almost 20% of their mass in 5 years, specialists stated Thursday.

The specialists stated Swiss glaciers are melting quickly and this yr noticed the second-biggest drop on file attributable to unprecedented heat waves in Europe.

There was a drop of 5.5% of Swiss glaciers this yr, the Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland (GLAMOS) community present in a brand new examine.

GLAMOS warns of complete glacier loss

According to the report, over the previous 5 years, the Swiss glaciers have misplaced virtually ​a fifth of their ice, warning that sooner or later it may threaten water supplies.

The report additionally raised questions in regards to the long-term survival of Europe’s ice fields.

“Alpine glaciers haven’t any likelihood of surviving in the long run beneath such situations,” stated GLAMOS chief Matthias Huss. “The glaciers this yr have misplaced monumental portions of ice.” 

Little winter snowfall and file summer season temperatures led Huss to name 2026 “a catastrophic yr.”

“This is a glacier that is not surviving,” he stated. “There will most likely be no ice in 10 or possibly 15 years.”

The GLAMOS report reiterates issues in regards to the influence of worldwide warming, particularly in Europe, the planet’s fastest-warming continent.

“The warming that we’re experiencing now will be attributed 100% to anthropogenic climate change. It’s so simple as that,” Huss stated, utilizing the time period for local weather change brought on by human exercise. “Without human emissions or fossil fuels we would not have any warming for the time being.”

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Edited by:  Sean Sinico