Swiss glaciers lose 5.5% of ice volume in second-largest annual decline

Swiss glaciers lost 5.5% of their ice volume in 2026, the second-largest annual decline recorded, according to the Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland network, known as GLAMOS. The network said Swiss glaciers had lost almost a fifth of their mass over the past five years. Experts attributed the latest loss to limited winter snowfall and record summer temperatures during heatwaves in Europe.

Matthias Huss, GLAMOS’s chief, described 2026 as a catastrophic year for the glaciers. He said Alpine glaciers had no long-term chance of surviving under current conditions and that some could contain no ice within 10 to 15 years. The findings have raised concerns about the future of Europe’s ice fields and the effects on water supplies.

The source did not identify the specific glaciers most affected or quantify the expected impact on individual communities. Huss said the warming being experienced could be attributed entirely to human-caused climate change. He said that without human emissions and fossil fuels there would be no current warming.

The report adds to concerns about Europe’s vulnerability to rising temperatures. The source described Europe as the world’s fastest-warming continent but did not provide a global comparison beyond that statement.