The largest glacier in the Alps may disappear by 2100

The study, published by Swiss scientists on September 11, shows the alarming rate of the Aletsch glacier.

The Aletsch Glacier is estimated to contain 11 billion tons of ice.(Photo: Aletsch Arena).

Aletsch, the largest glacier in the Alps , could disappear completely by the end of the 21st century if climate change does not improve, a team from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) said. The 88km2 wide river, estimated to contain 11 billion tons of ice, has melted more than 1km in length since the turn of the century.

Aletsch is one of more than 4,000 glaciers scattered across the Alps, providing seasonal fresh water to millions of people and creating stunning views in Europe. To predict the future rate of melting ice, the team focused on three different climate scenarios based on global warming and atmospheric CO2 concentration.

Research shows that even if the world reaches its goal in the 2015 Paris Agreement - preventing global warming beyond 2 ° C - Aletsch will still lose 50% of its ice mass by 2100. In the worst case, the rivers can melt completely if the climate in Switzerland heats 4 - 8 ° C.

The team stressed that the worst scenario could happen if the global community did not act together, limiting greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels, construction activities, transportation, or industry and agriculture. The Aletsch Glacier today is part of the Jungfrau-Aletsch Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001.

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