The Shrinking Glaciers Project
As an NGO whose aim is to protect and preserve the remaining pristine wilderness areas in mountain regions and, more in general, the natural and cultural heritage of mountain areas, Mountain Wilderness International, is planning to organise exchange and networking among citizens, scientists, researchers, academia, schools, photographers, filmmakers, directors, mountain guides, mountaineers etc. in order to raise awareness about climate change and people’s ecological footprint.
We are aiming to partner up with other organisations, initiatives and bodies.
The project envisages the setting up of a platform for information and data collection and exchange, along with the organisation of actions, rallies and events either at international level or through our national chapters. We strive to reach the broadest possible public.
Glacier of the Month
In this section we will present examples of both famous and less-known glaciers that have changed over time, illustrating some of their characteristics and comparing old and recent images.
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November/December: Gliederferner Glacier
The Hochfeiler (Gran Pilastro, 3,509 m asl) is the highest peak in the Zillertaler Alps, a mountain range in the Eastern Alps. Its summit lies precisely on the main ridge of this range, marking the border between the Austrian province of Tyrol and the Italian province of South Tyrol.
The Gliederferner glacier (Ghiacciaio del Gran Pilastro) flows southward from the Hochfeiler. Until the turn of the millennium, it was a robust ice stream with thick, white ice. However, between 1998 and 2024, it melted significantly and retreated, leaving the glacier only a few meters thick.
The glacier forefield is now characterized by extensive debris deposits, with old moraine and glacier levels still visible on either side. These remnants may date back to the glacial maximum around 1850 during the Little Ice Age.
The Gliederferner thus joins the ranks of South Tyrolean glaciers facing a bleak future. Scientific data confirms this trend: between 1983 and 1997, the area of South Tyrol’s glaciers shrank by 19.7% due to global warming, and by a further 11.9% between 1997 and 2006.
Consequently, the glaciers have retreated by several hundred meters to several kilometers.
In recent years, water consumption has increased in both the tourism industry and agriculture, while water supply, especially in summer, has decreased. Additionally, there have been changes in flora and fauna as vegetation periods have shifted.
1998 Courtesy of Gotlind Blechschmidt Gliederferner 2024 Courtesy of Martin Rainer Gliederferner
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October: Trift Glacier
The Trift Glacier (Triftgletscher) covers the north-western flank of the 4,000er Weissmies (4,017 m asl, Canton of Valais).
In September 2017, the ice masses of a tongue of the glacier began to move downhill by more than 1 m/day, leading to the evacuation of Saas Grund as a precautionary measure. This acceleration led to the break-off of the endangered ice masses (about 500,000 m³), which were deposited at an elevation of approximately 3,300 m asl.
Swiss glaciers are melting at an alarming rate, with a 10% decrease in volume between 2022 and 2023, the equivalent of the ice mass lost between 1960 and 1990. The average ice thickness loss is up to 3 metres. In the Bernese Oberland and parts of the Valais the situation is less severe (2 m ice thickness loss) as they enjoyed more winter snowfall.
Glaciers are important water reservoirs. They contribute to the supply of water, which is used to generate hydropower. In Switzerland, hydropower stations generate approximately 60% of the country’s energy.
In its special report “The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate”, issued in 2019, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicted that low-lying glaciers, such as those in the Alps and Scandinavia, would lose up to 80% of their mass by the end of this century. In its assessment report published in February 2022, the IPCC named the global melting of ice and snow as one of the top ten threats from climate change.
2013 Courtesy of Gotlind Blechschmidt Triftgletscher 2023 Courtesy of Gotlind Blechschmidt Triftgletscher
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September: Los Illinizas
Illiniza is a glacier-covered stratovolcano located 55 km southwest of Quito, Ecuador. It has two peaks 1.8 km apart, Illiniza Sur (5,248 m asl*) and Illiniza Norte (5,126 m asl*), and forms a prominent landmark to the west of the Interandean Valley.
Illiniza Norte is a remnant of the main volcanic edifice, while Illiniza Sur is a younger stratovolcano of andesitic-dacitic composition, containing more moisture than former. Therefore, Sur has permanent snow and glaciers.
Glaciers, known as Earth’s most powerful erosive force, erode the ground beneath them by up to ten centimetres annually as they melt. This erosion reduces the pressure on underlying volcanoes, thereby heightening the chances of an eruption. A decrease in pressure favours magma production at depth, as rocks under lower pressure melt at lower temperatures.
When volcanoes erupt, they release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, that contributes to the acceleration of the warming process, creating a feedback loop.
Ecuador’s glaciers are found in the Cordillera Occidental and Cordillera Oriental mountain ranges. From the 16th to the first half of the 19th Century, there was extensive glaciation. Since then, the equilibrium line between ablation and accumulation has shifted upwards by 250 m, which is still significantly underestimated.
(*Illiniza Sur/Norte Statistics as of 2024 – www.volcanodiscovery.com)
1963 Courtesy of Edwin Bernbaum – Illinizas Sur 2003 Courtesy of Edwin Bernbaum – Illinizas Sur