Glaciers in Salzburg, Austria are rapidly disappearing due to climate change, according to researcher Bernhard Zagel. He warns that the glaciers could vanish within the next 10 to 15 years, with some areas already having lost half their ice in just 25 years.
Glacier researchers and hydrologists are currently surveying the glaciers in Salzburg, although detailed data and measurement results are not yet available. Zagel explains that the glaciers are losing mass and size quickly, with some areas losing around ten centimeters of ice each year due to excessive sunlight. He notes that heavy snowfall in the Austrian Tauern mountains did little to protect the glaciers, as melting at altitudes like 3000 meters is at incredibly high levels.
Zagel points to the greenhouse effect as the main cause of glacier loss, citing the example of the Stubacher Sonnblickkees glacier, which has lost 45 million cubic meters of ice in the past 25 years. He predicts that in just ten years, there may be no glaciers visible in the area.
“I assume that in ten years you won’t be able to see a glacier anymore. We may still see small patches of ice, but based on what we know about the geometry of the glacier, we can say with great certainty that we will hardly see them in the next 10 to 15 years,” Zagel warns.
The rapid melting of glaciers in Salzburg is a stark reminder of the urgent need to address climate change and its impact on our environment.
Source
Photo credit www.euronews.com