Dachstein glacier before: climate change threatens alpine connection!

Dachstein glacier before: climate change threatens alpine connection!

Dachstein, Österreich - The connection between the Schladminger Glacier and the Hallstätter Glacier in the Dachstein area is in front of that. According to 5min.at, this connection could be snow-free in just two to four weeks. The main reasons for this are climate change, a continued low snowfall in winter and high temperatures in summer. The temperature on the Hunerkogel, which is about 2,700 meters high, currently measures around 14 degrees Celsius. The area between the glaciers, which once had a width of 30 meters and a height of up to two meters, has now shrunk to only seven meters wide and one and a half meters.

This year only a snowfall of two meters was recorded, while eight to ten meters would normally be expected. The decline in the glacier connection is alarming, not only because it has existed for around 3,500 years, but also because bare ice, which is not accessible without crampons, remains. The popular ski tour from the Hunerkogel via the glaciers to the Krippenstein mountain station could soon no longer be possible. In addition, melting the glacier could bring logistical problems for the Seethaler hut, the old building fabric of which is already at risk from climate change.

a pioneer of glacier photography

Bernhard Edmaier, photographer and geologist from Ampfing, offers a deep insight into the dramatic changes of the glaciers in the Alps with his new illustrated book "Alpine ice cream - glacier and permafrost in climate change". According to [ovb-online.de] (https://www.ovb-online.de/muehleldorf/dramatic-gletscher-melze-in-den-a--Arpfinger-Bernhard-edmaier-gibt-demawandel- 91946017.html), Edmaier has documented the glacier melting for over 30 years And has found that the Pasterze glacier has withdrawn considerably in the past 20 years. The ice tongue, which was 5.5 kilometers long in 2002, has now been demolished by the side tributaries. An annual retreat of around 50 meters is now a reality.

The consequences of the melting glacier are far -reaching, since around 4,400 glaciers still exist in the Alps, which play a decisive role as a water storage for the alpine flows. The temperature rise in this region has been about two degrees for 150 years, significantly more than the global average. These changes also have a direct impact on the Alpine -wide tourism sector: close ski areas, touring paths are blocked and the attractiveness of related activities suffers significantly.

tourism in the Alps in the change

The Alps attract millions of tourists every year and are in direct connection with climate change, especially through the melt. As reports [das-wissen.de] (https://das-wissen.de/umwelt-und-nachteigelkeit/klimawandel-in-den-alpen-gletschermelze- und-tourism), melting glaciers have direct effects on the snow situation, which leads to shortened ski season. The tourist activities such as skiing, hiking and climbing are heavily dependent on these changes, since snow reliability is increasingly at risk.

The glacier melting, which also produces new landscapes, harbors ecological, social and economic challenges. The need for sustainable tourism practices is becoming more and more urgent, while the effects on drinking water reserves and biological diversity are noticeable. The perspectives for alpine tourism could decrease by up to 45% up to 2100 if no opposite measures are taken.

Developments in the Alps illustrate how important it is to combat climatic changes and to adapt to the resulting challenges. It is crucial that everyone involved - governments, the tourism industry and the population - work together to counteract the impending crisis.