Aletsch Glacier may survive if warming capped below 2°C

Swiss scientists are studying the Great Aletsch Glacier, which is one of the largest glaciers in the Alps. They believe it may be partially saved if global warming is kept below two degrees Celsius. However, significant ice loss is still expected. Matthias Huss, director of Glacier Monitoring Switzerland, shared that at best, Switzerland could lose at least 70% of its glacier ice volume if no carbon dioxide is emitted after 2050. The Swiss Academy of Sciences has created models that show different impacts on the glaciers based on various climate scenarios. Without action to address climate change, the glacier's three tributaries would disappear, leaving a deep valley. If warming is controlled, glaciers above 10,000 feet, like Aletsch, might survive but would be smaller and thinner. The likelihood of this scenario is unclear. In a worse case, Huss warned that all Swiss glaciers could be gone by 2100. He hopes that the high-altitude Aletsch Glacier may retain some ice. A recent United Nations report highlighted that the last three years have seen record-breaking loss of glacial mass worldwide. Huss explained that melting glaciers, especially in polar regions, contribute to rising sea levels. These levels could increase by up to one meter by 2100. In Switzerland, glaciers have lost almost 40% of their volume since 2000, as temperatures increase at nearly twice the global average.