Alps glaciers could face worst summer ever amid heatwaves

European Alps glaciers are at risk of experiencing their worst summer on record due to persistent heatwaves, according to French glaciologist Heïdi Sevestre. She warns that a collective denial about the permanence of snow and ice is hindering necessary action.

Sevestre emphasizes the urgent need for countries sharing glacial mountains, such as France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, and Spain, to establish agreements. These pacts are crucial not only for attempting to save the glaciers but also for planning how to manage the consequences of their inevitable disappearance.

The melting of these glaciers has far-reaching implications. Billions of people globally depend directly or indirectly on mountain water resources, where glaciers play a vital role. Their disappearance threatens agriculture, energy production, and the transportation of goods. The last three years have seen record levels of glacial melt across 19 regions worldwide, indicating a severe and accelerating trend.

While Sevestre believes it is still possible to preserve half of the planet's mountain glaciers by limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius as per the Paris Agreement, she stresses the need for systemic change. This includes ending subsidies for fossil fuels, which she equates to subsidizing humanity's own demise. She highlights the potent influence of 'lobbies' and disinformation campaigns that undermine scientific consensus and delay political action.

Furthermore, Sevestre notes a direct link between glacial melt and the increasing intensity and duration of heatwaves in the Northern Hemisphere. She points out that for every kilogram of CO2 emitted, 16 kilograms of mountain ice melt, a stark scientific reality often obscured by powerful interests.