Scientists cover Swiss glacier with sheep's wool to slow ice melt
Researchers in Switzerland are testing biodegradable sheep's wool blankets as a sustainable alternative to synthetic tarpaulins for slowing glacier melt. While the wool is as effective as plastic covers, experts note that this method is only viable for small, high-value areas and does not address the broader issue of global warming.
Why it matters
It highlights innovative, localized climate adaptation strategies while emphasizing the limitations of physical interventions in combating large-scale glacial retreat.
A natural wool covering placed over 200 square metres of high-altitude Alpine ice has proved as effective at slowing summer melting as conventional synthetic tarpaulins, offering a possible biodegradable alternative to plastic sheets. Initial results from the "Keep It Wool" trial on the Tsanfleuron Glacier in western Switzerland show that prototype wool blankets protected snow and ice from heat about as well as plastic geotextiles. According to a Reuters report published on 3 September 2026, researchers found that the covers significantly slowed ice loss during the warmer summer months. However, project organisers and glaciologists stress that physical covers can only protect very small areas. Just about 0.02 per cent of Switzerland's total glacier surface is currently covered with protective materials.
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