After 85 Years, Swiss Glacier Halved... "This Year Is the Worst Situation"

Analysis by ETH Zurich and Others
This Year, Thawing Expected to Be More Severe Than the Worst Year on Record, 2003

On the 30th of last month (local time), the Rhone Glacier in Valais, Switzerland (photo above) has mostly melted, forming a lake. In contrast, a photo taken in August 2013 within the same frame (below) shows that nearly half of the ice layer remained despite it being summer. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jeong-wan] It has been revealed that half of Switzerland's glaciers have disappeared over the past 85 years due to global warming.

According to CNN on the 23rd, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and others recently analyzed changes in Swiss glaciers by comparing photographs of the glaciers. The analysis showed that about half of Switzerland's glaciers melted between 1931 and 2016, a period of 85 years.

The research team analyzed photographs of mountainous areas during this period to study the changes in the glaciers. Summarizing the results, it can be seen that every 10 years, an area of glacier equivalent to the size of Manhattan, New York (88 km²), melted or disappeared. Manhattan is about 30 times larger than Yeouido, Seoul (2.9 km²).

The rate of melting has been accelerating since 2016. The research team explained that glaciers have been melting sharply, with 12% of Swiss glaciers disappearing over the six years from 2016 to recently. Dr. Daniel Farinotti of the research team told CNN, "Considering this year's summer heatwaves and other conditions, glacier loss will be at its worst level."

The research team reports that this year's glacier melting in Switzerland is more severe than in 2003, which was the worst on record. Dr. Farinotti explained, "This year's situation was extreme," adding, "The combination of a winter with almost no snowfall and a hot summer causes the worst-case scenario."

The research team projected that even if countries worldwide comply with the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to drastically reduce carbon emissions, 60% more of the current glaciers could melt by the end of this century.

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