digesta
Just signalNo noise

← Back to feed

Swiss glaciers lose nearly 20% of volume in five years

–

Neutral summary

According to the annual report by Glacier Monitoring Switzerland (GLAMOS) and the Swiss Commission for the Observation of the Cryosphere, published on October 1, Swiss glaciers lost nearly 20% of their mass in five years. In the first eight months of 2026 alone, glacier volume fell by 5.5%, the second-largest annual drop on record after 2022. Average ice thickness decreased by 2.5 to 4 meters, and some glacier tongues lost up to 10 meters. Glaciologist Matthias Huss of ETH Zurich, lead author of the report, said that “glaciers are no longer able to maintain the water balance.” Experts attribute the melting to a record-hot, dry summer, a low-snow winter, and limited Saharan dust that darkens snow and reduces its reflectivity. Some small glaciers have disappeared entirely. According to The Guardian, Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average.

How it was framed

Outlets: 50. Countries: 19. Facts in the shared core: 3.

Publication timeline

  1. · 20 Minutes (outlet profile)

    En carte : Où sont situés les glaciers les plus à risque d’effondrement dans les Alpes ?. Alors que les glaciers suisses ont perdu près de 20 % de leur volume en cinq ans, « 20 Minutes » se penche sur les sites sous sur…

  2. · Reporterre (outlet profile)

    En une année, 5 % des glaciers suisses ont fondu. Plus de 5 % de la masse des glaciers ont disparu au cours de la seule année 2026, en Suisse. Et en 5 ans, c'est près de 20 % du volume des glaciers qui ont fondu dans le…

  3. · Phys.org (outlet profile)

    Devastating year for Switzerland's glaciers after extreme heat and low snow. Switzerland's glaciers lost more than 5% of their ice volume in 2026. Although melt rates did not quite reach the record levels of 2022, glaci…

  4. · The Independent (outlet profile)

    Swiss glaciers lose over 5% of ice volume in 2026 as heat waves, low winter snow accelerate thaw. Experts report that glaciers in Switzerland have lost 5.5% of their ice volume this year due to heat waves and low winter…

  5. · ТАСС (outlet profile)

    Климатологи заявили об исчезновении свыше 5,5% от ледников Швейцарии за год. Это связано с необычно жарким и сухим летом и малоснежной зимой, полагают в Швейцарской высшей технической школе

  6. · NRK (outlet profile)

    Sveitsiske isbreer mistet en femtedel av massen på fem år. Sveitsiske isbreer har mistet nesten 20 prosent av sin masse på fem år, opplyste eksperter torsdag. Det melder AFP. 5,5 prosent av volumet har smeltet bort i år…

  7. · Le Parisien (outlet profile)

    « Aucune de chance de survie à long terme » : le volume des glaciers suisses a diminué de 20 % en cinq ans, selon une étude

  8. · Asharq Al-Awsat (outlet profile)

    Swiss Glaciers Lose Over 5% of Ice Volume in 2026 as Heatwaves, Low Winter Snow Accelerate Thaw

  9. · UOL (outlet profile)

    Geleiras suíças perdem um quinto de massa em cinco anos. As geleiras da Suíça, afetadas severamente pelas mudanças climáticas, perderam quase 20% de sua massa em cinco anos, destacaram nesta quinta-feira (1º) especialis…

  10. · BBC News (outlet profile)

    Swiss glaciers suffer 'disastrous' year of ice loss, threatening water supplies. Scientists say such rapid melting is no longer surprising given the pace of climate change.

  11. · Channel NewsAsia (outlet profile)

    Swiss glaciers lose more than 5% of ice after record heatwave

  12. · South China Morning Post (outlet profile)

    Expert gives grim warning after Swiss glaciers shrink 20% in 5 years. Switzerland’s glaciers, which are disproportionately impacted by climate change, have lost nearly 20 per cent of their mass in five years, experts sa…

  13. · RFI (outlet profile)

    Suisse: les canicules de l'été 2026 ont encore aggravé la fonte des glaciers. La Suisse publie, ce 1er octobre 2026, son rapport annuel sur l'état des glaciers du pays. Cela fait des années qu'on sait qu'ils vont dispar…

  14. · O Globo (outlet profile)

    Geleiras suíças perderam 20% de massa em cinco anos, um quarto disso só em 2026: 'Ano catastrófico'. As geleiras da Suíça, afetadas severamente pelas mudanças climáticas, perderam quase 20% de sua massa em cinco anos, d…

  15. · DW (Deutsche Welle) (outlet profile)

    Swiss glaciers lose of more than 5% in ice volume in 2026. Over the last five years, Swiss glaciers have lost nearly 20% of their mass, and 2026 saw the second-biggest loss of glacier volume on record. Experts warn ther…

  16. · DW (Deutsche Welle) (outlet profile)

    Swiss glaciers lose more than 5% in ice volume in 2026. Over the last five years, Swiss glaciers have lost nearly 20% of their mass, and 2026 saw the second-biggest loss of glacier volume on record. Experts warn there c…

  17. · Daily Maverick (outlet profile)

    Swiss glaciers lose more than 5% of ice after record heatwave. LES DIABLERETS, Switzerland, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Swiss glaciers are shrinking rapidly after suffering one of their worst years of ice loss during a…

  18. · The Guardian (outlet profile)

    ‘Explosion of melt rates’: 20% of Swiss glaciers lost in five years. Alpine regions in Europe experiencing extreme glacier collapse due to heat-trapping effects of fossil fuel pollution Switzerland has lost almost one-f…

  19. · Guardian Science (outlet profile)

    ‘Explosion of melt rates’: 20% of Swiss glaciers lost in five years. Alpine regions in Europe experiencing extreme glacier collapse due to heat-trapping effects of fossil fuel pollution Switzerland has lost almost one-f…

  20. · The Korea Herald (outlet profile)

    'Catastrophic': Swiss glaciers lose fifth of mass in five years. LES DIABLERETS, Switzerland (AFP) -- Switzerland's glaciers, which are disproportionately impacted by climate change, have lost nearly 20 p…

  21. · franceinfo (outlet profile)

    Le volume des glaciers suisses a diminué de près de 20% en cinq ans, après une nouvelle année "catastrophique". Les mois de juin à août ont été les plus chauds jamais enregistrés en Suisse depuis le début des mesures en…

  22. · La Croix (outlet profile)

    Le volume des glaciers suisses a diminué de près de 20 % en seulement cinq ans. Selon les données du réseau Glamos publiées jeudi 1er octobre, quatre glaciers suisses, dont le Rhône et l'Aletsch, ont enregistré leur fon…

  23. · Al Jazeera (outlet profile)

    ‘Catastrophic year’ as Swiss glaciers lose 5% of ice after heatwaves. Scientists are warning that Switzerland's glaciers have lost an ‘enormous’ amount of ice this year.

  24. · Российская газета (outlet profile)

    В Швейцарии объем ледников сократился почти на 20 процентов всего за пять лет. Согласно исследованию, опубликованному в четверг, ледники в Швейцарии пережили вторую по величине годовую нагрузку после 2022 года, доведя п…

  25. · RTÉ News (outlet profile)

    Swiss glaciers suffer 'catastrophic' melt in 2026. Switzerland's glaciers, which are disproportionately impacted by climate change, have lost nearly 20% of their mass in five years, experts have said, with 2026 register…

  26. · BFMTV (outlet profile)

    "Aucune chance de survie à long terme": nouvelle année "catastrophique" en Suisse où la fonte des glaciers s'accélère. Les glaciers suisses ont encore perdu 5,5% de leur volume cette année après avoir connu l'été le plu…

  27. · Handelsblatt (outlet profile)

    Klima und Natur: Hitzesommer: Wieder verheerendes Jahr für Alpengletscher. Hitzewellen und wenig Schnee setzen den Gletschern in der Schweiz, Österreich und Deutschland massiv zu. Warum kleine Gletscher bereits verschwi…

  28. · Phys.org (outlet profile)

    'Catastrophic': Swiss glaciers lose fifth of mass in five years. Switzerland's glaciers, which are disproportionately affected by climate change, have lost nearly 20% of their mass in five years, experts said Thursday,…

  29. · Euronews (outlet profile)

    Swiss glaciers lose 5.5% of ice in second-largest melt on record. Swiss scientists report rapid ice loss at the Rhône Glacier, as heatwaves and a dry winter drive Switzerland’s second-biggest melt on record.

  30. · Belfast Telegraph (outlet profile)

    Swiss glaciers lose more than 5% of ice volume in 2026

Factual core

  • Swiss glaciers lost over 5% of their ice volume in 2026.
  • The 2026 melt followed a record hot summer and a winter with little snowfall in Switzerland.
  • Alpine regions in Europe are experiencing extreme glacier melting.

Full methodology →

In the daily issue: The day in brief — October 1, 2026

Other stories of the day