Rapid glacier retreat and downwasting throughout the European Alps in the early 21st century

European Alpine glaciers experienced rapid retreat and significant ice mass loss between 2000 and 2014, with the Swiss Glarus and Lepontine Alps showing the most pronounced downwasting. Using remote sensing techniques on extensive optical and radar imagery covering 93% of Alpine glacier volume, researchers estimated a mass loss of 1.3 ± 0.2 gigatons annually for the entire region. While central Alpine glaciers followed previous trends, lower mountain ranges showed less severe changes. These findings underscore the urgent need to address socio-economic impacts such as water resource management, risk assessments, and tourism.

Sommer, C., Malz, P., Seehaus, T. C., Lippl, S., Zemp, M., & Braun, M. H. (2020). Rapid glacier retreat and downwasting throughout the European Alps in the early 21st century. Nature Communications, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16818-0