Gretreating glaciers, increase in glacial lakes and many, too many instability events at high altitude. The situation of our mountains at the end of 2023 is very worrying. The data and numbers are put together by Legambiente which, together with the Italian Glaciological Committee, presents today on the occasion of the International Mountain Day IV final report “Glacier Caravan 2023” and, a preview of the documentary of the same name made by videomaker David Fricano for Legambiente.
Mountain Day, the record effects of climate change
In the end-of-year balance sheet, the phenomena that weigh most heavily on mountains and glaciers are scorching heat, making 2023 the hottest year ever. The zero temperature, never so high in the Alps, reaching an altitude of 5398 m. And the increase in extreme meteorological events in all regions of the Alpine arc (Liguria, Piedmont, Valle d’Aosta, Lombardy, Trentino Alto Adige, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia). As many as 632 (excluding storm surges) with 3 regions – Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto – among the most affected.
The mountain slowly changes its profile, and appears more and more fragile. The specially observed are the Belvedere glacier, the largest in Piedmont, located in the Monte Rosa group: here climate warming brings geomorphological instability. Which manifest themselves in debris landslides, ice and rock collapses and the formation of glacial lakes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries
Glacier caravan, special observers: from Adamello to Belvedere
They are also worrying the Adamello glaciers. Adamello-Mandrone (the largest in Italy), Lares and Lobbia, on whose surface circular crevasses, called “cauldrons” appear with increasing frequency, leading to sudden ice collapses.
On the Adamello, the Lares glacier is the one that has lost the most in surface area, going from 6 km2 in 1960, to 4.8 km2 in 2003 and 2.8 km2 in 2023, therefore more than 50% in 60 years.
More glacial lakes, debris flows and landslides: extreme events
Other key points at the center of the report include the formation of an increasing number of new glacial lakes. For example, in Valle D’Aosta, between 2006 and 2015 the total number of glacial lakes almost doubled, with the appearance of 170 new lakes.
The doubling of high-altitude instability events in 2023 is also worrying. Debris flows are the most recurring phenomenon with over 60% of cases (they were 20% in the period 2000-2021). While landslides represent the remaining 40%. Among the most affected regions is Trentino-Alto Adige (almost a third of the cases registered).
What can we do for our mountains
Faced with this situation, Legambiente CIPRA and the Italian Glaciological Committee today indicate three to the Meloni Government priority lines of intervention on which it is essential to accelerate the pace. On the one hand, greater coordination of climate adaptation policies at national and territorial level. On the other hand, the full implementation of the Budoia Charter for the action of Municipalities in local adaptation to climate change. Finally, aEuropean alliance for common governance of glaciers and related resources. In this regard, Legambiente, CIPRA and CGI invite everyone to sign the “Sign for the glaciers” petition which has so far collected 5 thousand signatures.
As Legambiente explains, nowhere more than in our mountains has there been a marked acceleration of the effects of the advancing climate crisis. The constant monitoring of Alpine glaciers, which Legambiente has been carrying out for four years with the Glacier Caravan campaign, allows us to document what is happening. But also to bring the topic of coexistence with the climate crisis to the fore.
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