Swiss glaciers have lost more than 5 % of their ice in the last twelve months, the steepest drop recorded in the Alps for over a decade, scientists say.
Such rapid retreat follows a summer of record heat that stripped much of the protective snow cover, turning bright white ice into dark, heat‑absorbing surfaces that melt even faster.
Beyond the striking images, the loss threatens water supplies used for irrigation, hydropower and shipping, the report warned.
During July‑September, meltwater from the glaciers released an estimated 2.2 trillion litres – enough to relieve short‑term shortages but thinning the long‑term frozen reserves and lowering future river levels.
The sudden disappearance of snow even at 3 500 m, a place that used to have several metres of winter snow, shows how many high‑altitude glaciers are essentially starved and on the brink of vanishing.
While the Alps already feel the effects – weaker lake levels and record river‑low conditions for shipping on the Rhine – the science team stresses that sharp cuts to carbon emissions could still preserve many of the planet’s vital ice masses.
