Research: Over 200 major glaciers disappear in Italy due to changing climate

Research: Over 200 major glaciers disappear in Italy due to changing climate
August 11, 2022, 12:17 pm

A glacier is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight - Photo. Pixabay

Over 200 major Alpine glaciers have disappeared in Italy since record-keeping began in 1895, Italy's environmental lobby group Legambiente said in a report released on Wednesday (August 10), the Xinhua reported.

In its third "Caravan of the Glaciers" report, Legambiente said the latest findings verified "the dramatic regression of glaciers due to the climate crisis."

The group said Alpine temperatures are rising twice as quickly as temperatures are rising at sea level, and the ground snow has decreased every year since 2012.

The report was produced as a way to inform policymakers regarding policies of sustainable development, said the Legambiente.

It was produced by Legambiente in partnership with the Italian Glaciological Committee.

The World Meteorological Organization, defines a heat wave as five or more consecutive days of prolonged heat in which the daily maximum temperature is higher than the average maximum temperature by 5 °C (9 °F) or more. However, some nations have come up with their own criteria to define a heat wave - Photo. Pixabay

The phenomenon is thought to have wide-ranging consequences.

According to the report: "The rapid retreat of glacial fronts not only leads to the loss of fascinating landscapes and biodiversity, but it also amounts to the disappearance of important fresh water reserves."

Climate change: Six dead in glacier collapse in northern Italy

The report noted that the lack of fresh water coming from glacial reserves is a major contributor to the drought gripping most of Italy and threatening to reduce agricultural output, especially in northern Italy, where water from glaciers is a key part of the area's ecosystem.

Another key impact involves public safety, said the report. Last month, 11 hikers died when a melting glacier caused a powerful landslide of ice and snow on the Marmolada in Italy's Dolomite Mountains.

Officials and experts attributed the tragedy to scorching temperatures.

Source: xinhua

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