Recent research by the ETH technical university in Zurich, Switzerland has highlighted significant alterations to the Swiss Alp landscape due to climate change. The study underscores the melting of glaciers that have led to the creation of over a thousand new lakes across the mountains and the continuous decline of these glaciers.
The Significant Findings of the Study
The investigation’s key findings revealed that approximately 1,200 new lakes have emerged in formerly glaciated regions of the Swiss Alps since the conclusion of the Little Ice Age around 1850. From these newly formed bodies of water, around 1,000 still exist today. These results present compelling evidence of the dramatic shifts in the Swiss Alp landscape. Furthermore, the study found that the Swiss Alps’ glaciers are continually diminishing, with a loss of a full 2% of their volume just within the last year. Even if the global community fully implements the 2015 Paris Agreement—a legally binding international treaty on climate change adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris—the future of two-thirds of the Alpine glaciers is precarious.
The Origin and Geography of the Alps
The Alps, emerged about 65 million years ago during the Alpine orogeny, a mountain-building event marking the end of the Mesozoic Era. Known as young fold mountains, the Alps feature rugged relief and high conical peaks, making them western Europe’s most prominent physiographic region. Extending more than 750 miles in length and over 125 miles wide at their broadest point, the Alps cover an impressive 80,000 square miles. The landscape stretches north from the subtropical Mediterranean coast near Nice, France, to Lake Geneva, trending east-northeast to Vienna, Austria. Here, they meet the Danube River and blend with the adjacent plains. Their arclike shape distinctly separates the marine west-coast climates of Europe from the Mediterranean regions.
The Countries Encompassed by the Alps
Spanning several countries, the Alps form part of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and Albania. However, only Switzerland and Austria can be considered true Alpine countries due to their extensive coverage of the mountainous region.
Important Peaks in the Alps
The Alps are home to some of the highest and significant peaks in Europe. Mont Blanc, towering at a significant height of 4,804 meters above sea level, holds the title for the highest peak in the Alps and Europe. It’s location is shared among France, Switzerland, and Italy. Monte Rosa, a massif comprising several peaks, possesses the highest peak in Switzerland—Dufourspitze—at an elevation of 4,634 meters. Another noteworthy peak is Dom, standing at 4,545 meters. Positioned near Monte Rosa, Dom is revered as one of the “easier” tall peaks in the Alps to summit due to its straightforward routes. Other significant peaks include Liskamm, Weisshorn, Matterhorn, Dent Blanche, and Grand Combin.
