The recent tragic collapse of a Swiss glacier has refocused public attention on the imminent dangers of climate change. Just a few days ago, in the southern Lötschental valley, a 30 million cubic meter debris avalanche roared down into the village of Blatten. This disaster was caused by the collapse of the Birch Glacier. The avalanche destroyed much of the village’s structure, requiring the evacuation of its 300 residents, as well as all the animals in the village. This recent event highlights serious and valid fears that we have expressed for decades about glacier stability in the face of increasing global temperatures.
The Birch Glacier was doomed the moment its overhanging rock face became dangerously unstable. This instability was exacerbated by the effects of climate change, particularly the melting of mountain permafrost. In recent years, such melting has contributed to large debris fields spilling onto the glacier. This debris provided a surface protection that first insulated the glacier, slowing its melting process considerably. The debris’s increased mass was enough to trigger motion of the ice below. This movement jumped into hyperdrive in the weeks prior to the collapse.
The Impact on Blatten
In the aftermath of the collapse, emergency services quickly evacuated Blatten, making sure that all of the village’s residents and farm animals were safely relocated. The village, known for its picturesque landscapes and proximity to the glacier, now faces a precarious future as it grapples with the aftermath of this disaster.
In the face of growing instability in the region’s glaciers, local authorities warned continued vigilance is vital. “When it became clear that there’s a whole mountainside that’s about to collapse,” said glaciologist Regine Truffer, reflecting on the urgency of monitoring these natural structures. The collapse has left many community members anxious about their homes and livelihoods, as well as the broader implications for the region’s environment.
The village had already responded and actively engaged the event by conducting forehand evacuations. They had to make these decisions informed by robust current risk assessments of glacier stability. This controversy involving the Birch Glacier brings to light the short-term risks that communities living around rapidly melting glaciers must contend with.
Climate Change and Glacial Retreat
Unfortunately, the Birch Glacier’s collapse isn’t an isolated occurrence, but rather the early warning sign of a tide that’s sweeping across the world’s glaciers. Switzerland’s glaciers have melted away almost half since 1950. Indeed, alarming projections have been made that all glaciers in the Alps will vanish within this century. As the last few years have made clear, that’s just not the case. In 2023, we hit an incredible 4% decrease in total glacier volume, the second largest one-year decline ever after the 6% drop in 2022.
Lonnie Thompson, a leading climate researcher, said that what is happening in glaciers around the world right now is progressing at an unprecedented pace. “It’s amazing sometimes how rapidly they can collapse,” he stated, emphasizing that the instability of these glaciers presents a growing problem for countless individuals living nearby.
Warnings from experts such as Truffer are serious indicators of trouble ahead. Even if global temperatures are stabilized today, we would still lose 40% of the world’s glaciers. Yet, they emphasize that constraining warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius would greatly protect glacier ice. “Twice as much glacier ice could be preserved than would be otherwise,” he noted in reference to findings from a recent study published in Science.
The Broader Implications
Climate change is affecting glaciers worldwide, as evidenced by glacial retreat throughout the United States and world. It endangers communities and ecosystems that rely on predictable, stable water supplies fed by these glaciers. As the glaciers dissolve and retreat, they raise sea levels and impact the climate of their surrounding areas. Those who live near these natural edifices experience the impacts the most severely. Communities downstream—which depend on glacial-fed rivers for their drinking water supply—are affected too.
Switzerland has more glaciers than any other European country. Because of this, it’s at the frontlines of the climate crisis. The country must navigate not only the loss of its iconic landscapes but the socio-economic impacts stemming from these environmental changes.
