Swiss glaciers suffer 'disastrous' year of ice loss
Swiss glaciers experienced a record-breaking 5.5% ice loss in 2026, significantly higher than the historical average of 2%. Scientists attribute this acceleration to intense summer heatwaves and reduced winter snowfall, warning of long-term risks to water security and mountain stability.
Why it matters
Rapid glacier melting threatens essential water supplies for agriculture and hydropower while increasing the risk of natural disasters like landslides and flash floods.
Image source, L.Hösli Image caption, The front of Morteratsch Glacier in south-east Switzerland, which has been attacked by warm air and water
Swiss glaciers have suffered a near-record loss of ice in 2026, new data shows, as intense summer heatwaves take their toll on Alpine peaks.
More than 5% of the country's remaining glacier ice has disappeared in the last 12 months, which scientists say is "extraordinary".
They warn that such rapid melting is no longer a surprise given the pace of climate change, but it could threaten water supplies for farming, hydropower and transport in the decades ahead.
The loss of glacier ice can also destabilise mountain slopes and increase the risk of landslides in some places - which can lead to flash flooding in extreme cases, as seen in Nepal in August.
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