How Switzerland's glaciers have rapidly declined | BBC News

A new report highlights the rapid decline of Switzerland's glaciers, with a 3% loss of ice in the past year. Many smaller glaciers are not expected to survive current warming levels. Rapid action is suggested to preserve the remaining ice.

The iconic Swiss mountain landscapes are visibly changing. Comparisons of Greece Glacier from 1919 to today show a lake where thick ice once was. Similar dramatic changes are observed at Pers Glacier, Mortarach Glacier, and the Great Aletsch Glacier, where trees now stand where ice once covered.

Swiss glaciers were stable between 1950 and the early 1980s but have since lost almost half of their ice. UN scientists confirm that human-caused climate change is the primary reason for the worldwide reduction in glacier ice. The balance between ice gain from snowfall and ice lost to melting is now skewed due to warming temperatures, leading to global glacier shrinkage.

The disappearance of glaciers contributes to rising global sea levels and endangers the water supply for millions of people. While many smaller glaciers may not survive, scientists emphasize that significant cuts to carbon emissions can still preserve much of the world's ice and maintain some of these vital mountain environments.