Alpine glaciers continue rapid melting – environmental association speaks of unprecedented season

Affected regions and glaciers

Glaciologist Claudio Smiraglia, who has been observing the state of Alpine glaciers for decades, expressed shock: "Eine solche Saison habe ich in meiner gesamten Karriere noch nie erlebt." He pointed out that the summer of 2026 is exceeding the already above-average melt rates of recent times.

Legambiente bases its assessment on reports from the regions as well as on its own on-site observations. According to these, the effects of a series of hot summers, which have left the mountains only short phases of recovery, are accumulating. In view of the situation, the organization is calling for a more decisive course against global warming.

Voices from the scientific community

The warnings come at a phase in which the Alps have already been suffering severely from climate change for years. Glaciers, which once served as water reservoirs for lower-lying regions, have been shrinking for decades. There are now growing indications that even higher-lying ice fields, which were considered comparatively stable, are noticeably losing mass this summer.

Scientists see the current observations as further evidence that global warming is having an above-average rapid impact in high-mountain regions. The ice masses are also considered an important indicator of the global climate, as their state is directly linked to average air temperature.

Impacts on tourism and water supply

There is no let-up in sight for the coming weeks either. Should the heat phase continue, observers expect further declines, which could have an impact not only on tourism but also hydrologically. Several Alpine regions obtain water in summer from glacial runoff, which is now being released earlier and more strongly than usual.

Meanwhile, mountain guides are reporting increasingly complicated conditions. Routes that were considered safe in previous years have had to be rerouted at short notice, it was said. In some cases, entire tours have been canceled because routes are no longer passable due to newly formed crevasses.

Reactions and demands

Legambiente announced that it will continue to closely monitor the development and publish updated reports in the coming weeks. Bonardo also called for the Alps to be perceived not only as a tourist destination but also as a sensitive ecosystem that responds particularly sensitively to climate change.

The reports from the Alps fit into a series of international findings on the state of the world's glaciers. Research institutes worldwide have recently pointed out repeatedly that losses at many large ice masses are reaching record levels. The situation in the Alps is considered particularly well documented, as systematic measurements have been taken here for a long time.