Can our glaciers still be saved?
Switzerland is known for its stunning mountain peaks and glaciers, but these places are under threat. While it is normal for glaciers to grow and shrink over time, the fluctuations that are currently seen are not natural – they are caused by human-induced climate change.
To combat ice loss, various methods are proposed, such as using fleece coverings or artificial snow production to increase the reflectivity of the glaciers and thereby reducing the amount of absorbed solar radiation. While effective on small areas, these solutions are expensive and have technical limitations that prevent their usage at the glacier scale. Artificial melt reduction is thus not a viable solution. The most effective method of all? Reducing greenhouse gas emissions!
Glaciers not only represent an important part of the Swiss identity; they also act as water reservoirs, are an important element of our landscape, and can be a source of natural hazards. Although ice-free basins might bear some opportunities, including new habitats for plants and insects, or possibly even for the hydropower sector, glacier retreat will bring profound changes to the landscape and our lives. At this booth, visitors will:
- Glimpse into how Swiss glaciers will look in the future at the virtual reality installation
- Learn how glaciers flow and evolve by means of a miniature, physical glacier model and computer animations
- Gain hands-on experience with geotextiles used to protect glacier ice
- Share feelings about glacier retreat on the “Thought Board”
