SWITZERLAND: Alpine glaciers have shrunk by twice the normal speed in last 20 years and 90% of existing alpine glaciers could disappear by the end of the century
- 00:03:54
- ITN Source
SWITZERLAND: Alpine glaciers have shrunk by twice the normal speed in last 20 years and 90% of existing alpine glaciers could disappear by the end of the century
A glaciologist from Zurich University said on Thursday (September 14) that Switzerland's alpine glaciers have shrunk at twice the normal speed over the last twenty years in what he believes is an extreme reaction to accelerated global warming. "In the last two decades we can observe that the climate is warming quite rapidly and therefore also the glaciers underwent a very dramatic retreat period, some glaciers had record values, more than 100 glaciers were measured every year, and some glaciers are now going back at double values as normal," Glaciologist Max Maisch said. Switzerland's Rhone glacier, one of the 50 biggest glaciers in the European Alps, has lost more than 1,5 kilometres since the mid 19th century, leaving only 7.8 kilometres of the frozen river remaining, and the melting has dramatically accelerated since the 1980's. This dramatic decline is believed to be caused by extreme and accelerating global warming and researchers say it could have significant consequences on the environment. Experts believe climate change could disturb water cycles throughout Europe, influencing topography and having indirect consequences on wild life and plants. Switzerland's Alpine Museum has just opened an exhibition calling attention to the shrinking of glaciers. Entitled Glaciers in Hothouses, the exhibition has dozens of pictures of Europe's glaciers from different periods of history, highlighting the retreat of the last years and offering best visible proof of worldwide global warming. Maisch says if global warming continues the future does not look good for Switzerland's glaciers. "In about 50 years we think that more than half of the glaciers which are present now, they are gone, and within the next 100 years, about 90% of all Swiss glaciers will be gone if the climate scenarios become true," Maisch said. The more than 4500 glaciers in the European Alps are very important indicators of climate changes for scientists as they have lost over 50% of their volumes since the 19th century.
ITN Source | September 16, 2006
