Switzerland Monitors Rapid Glacial Decline

Khaosod•International•15d ago

Reader Briefing

Swiss glaciers experienced significant ice loss in 2026 following record-breaking European heatwaves.

•Swiss glaciers lost more than 5% of their ice in 2026.
•Approximately 2.2 trillion liters of water were lost between July and September.
•The Rhone Glacier and Aletsch Glacier are among those experiencing severe melting.
•Swiss glaciers have lost nearly one-fifth of their ice over the last five years.

Overview

•Switzerland's glaciers are shrinking rapidly following record-breaking heatwaves in Europe during the past summer.
•Swiss glaciers lost more than 5% of their ice in 2026 according to GLAMOS and the Swiss Commission for Cryosphere Observation of the Swiss Academy of Sciences.
•Swiss glaciers lost approximately 2.2 trillion liters of water between July and September, which is over four times the annual household drinking water consumption in Switzerland.
•The Aletsch Glacier faced its largest melt ever this year, and the San Feleron Glacier saw its average thickness decrease by more than 4 meters.
•Swiss glaciers have shed almost a fifth of their ice over the past five years.
•The rapid retreat of glaciers threatens future water supplies and raises questions about the long-term survival of Europe's ice fields.
•A report detailing the ice loss was released on Thursday by GLAMOS and the Swiss Commission for Cryosphere Observation of the Swiss Academy of Sciences.

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Key Entities

Place

Switzerland(สวิตเซอร์แลนด์)ℹ️

The country where glaciers are shrinking rapidly and experiencing significant water loss.

Rhone Glacier(ธารน้ำแข็งโรน)ℹ️

A glacier near Goms, Switzerland, where thickness measurements were conducted.

Aletsch Glacier(ธารน้ำแข็งอาเล็ทช์)ℹ️

The largest glacier in Switzerland which faced its largest melt ever this year.

San Feleron Glacier(ธารน้ำแข็งซานเฟลอรอน)

A glacier whose average thickness decreased by more than 4 meters.

Europe(ยุโรป)ℹ️

The continent that faced record-breaking heatwaves affecting its ice fields.

Organization

Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network (GLAMOS)(เครือข่ายตรวจสอบการเปลี่ยนแปลงของธารน้ำแข็งในสวิตเซอร์แลนด์ (GLAMOS))

An organization that monitors glacial changes in Switzerland and reported ice loss in 2026.

Swiss Commission for Cryosphere Observation of the Swiss Academy of Sciences(คณะกรรมาธิการสังเกตการณ์น้ำแข็งและหิมะแห่งสถาบันวิทยาศาสตร์สวิตเซอร์แลนด์)

A commission that co-reported the loss of more than 5% of Swiss glacial ice in 2026.

ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)

The institution associated with glaciologist Matthias Huss.

Person

Matthias Huss

A glaciologist from ETH and head of the GLAMOS measurement network.