environment
Glaciers to reach peak rate of extinction in the Alps in eight years
Climate crisis forecast to wipe out thousands of glaciers a year globally, threatening water supplies and cultural heritage
TL;DR
- Glaciers in the European Alps are projected to reach their peak extinction rate by 2033, with over 100 disappearing permanently.
- Glaciers in the western US and Canada are expected to reach peak loss less than a decade later, with over 800 vanishing annually.
- Approximately 750 glaciers disappear globally each year, a rate expected to accelerate due to continued fossil fuel emissions.
- Under current climate action plans (2.7C warming), glacier losses could peak at 3,000 per year by 2040, with 80% of glaciers gone by 2100.
- Rapid emission cuts (1.5C warming) would cap annual losses at 2,000 per year in 2040, with the rate then declining.
- Individual glaciers are crucial as water sources, tourist attractions, and hold spiritual significance for many communities.
- Central European glaciers could shrink by 87% to 97% by 2100, while western US and Canadian glaciers could see 70% to over 90% vanish.
- Larger glaciers, like those in Greenland, will take longer to melt but will continue beyond 2100.
- Peak loss dates mark turning points with significant implications for ecosystems, water resources, and cultural heritage.
- Urgent adaptation measures are needed for communities reliant on mountain water, with 2 billion people depending on these supplies.
- The study analyzed over 200,000 glaciers using three global models under different heating scenarios.