Entgletscherung – Die Vermessung des Eises

Since the beginning of industrialisation, glaciers in the Swiss Alps have lost around a third of their surface area and half of their mass. This knowledge is based on systematic glacier measurements – a field of research in which ETH Zurich has played a decisive role since its foundation in 1855. Measurement data make the changes visible and allow them to be modelled. Researchers warn that Swiss glaciers could disappear by the end of this century. The melting ice is already having visible consequences. The water balance is changing. Natural hazards in the Alps are increasing. At the same time, new alpine landscapes with lakes are emerging in the glacier forefields. Should these areas be protected or used for economic purposes?