‘Explosion of melt rates’: 20% of Swiss glaciers lost in five years

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1. 1h ago

   Swiss Glaciers Lose Nearly 20% of Mass in Five Years

   Swiss glaciers have lost 19.4% of their ice volume since 2021, characterized by an explosion of melt rates. In the first eight months of 2026, ice volume shrank by 5.5% following a winter with minimal snowfall and a summer of extreme heatwaves. This makes 2026 the second-largest melt year on record, trailing only 2022. Glaciologist Matthias Huss of ETH Zurich describes the resulting terrain as a rock desert, noting that several small glaciers have completely disappeared. Experts warn these losses threaten regional water supplies and result from fossil fuel pollution.

   Why it matters

   The Swiss Alps are disproportionately affected by climate change. The rapid collapse of these ice masses transforms alpine regions into barren landscapes and removes critical water reservoirs. Monitoring is conducted via a collaboration between the Swiss Commission for Cryosphere Observation and the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network.

   What is confirmed

   • Swiss glaciers lost 19.4% of their ice volume between 2021 and 2026.
   • The year 2026 registered the second-biggest melt on record.
   • Ice volume decreased by 5.5% during the first eight months of 2026.
   • Summer heatwaves and low winter snowfall contributed to the recent ice loss.
   • The total loss of glacier mass over the last five years is nearly 20%.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Dozens of Alpine glaciers have completely disappeared in 2026.

   What to watch next

   • Updated water supply impact assessments for Swiss regions.
   Sources used for this update (17)

   1. www.bbc.com — BBC Learning English - 媒体英语
   2. The Washington Post — Switzerland’s glaciers are losing an astonishing amount of ice. See the meltdown.
   3. BBC — Swiss glaciers suffer 'disastrous' year of ice loss, threatening water supplies
   4. Yahoo — 'Catastrophic': Swiss glaciers lose fifth of mass in five years
   5. NPR — Swiss glaciers suffer another year of record ice loss
   6. The Guardian — ‘Explosion of melt rates’: 20% of Swiss glaciers lost in five years
   7. The New York Times — Swiss Glaciers Vanished by Nearly a Fifth in Recent Years, Scientists Say
   8. Al Jazeera — How Switzerland lost 20 percent of its ice in five years
   9. theoverspill.blog — Start Up No.2754: Meta’s data centre tax tricks, AI Overviews evade antitrust, Swiss glacier melt speed....
   10. dw.com — Swiss glaciers lose more than 5% in ice volume in 2026
   11. SWI swissinfo.ch — Switzerland’s melting glaciers reveal ancient secrets
   12. www.theguardian.com — ‘Explosion of melt rates’: 20% of Swiss glaciers lost in five ...
   confidence 95%