About 20% of glacial ice in Switzerland has vanished since 2021, signaling a rapid meltdown driven by climate change. A new report shows that more than 5% of the remaining ice disappeared in 2026 alone, marking one of the most severe years of loss on record and astonishing researchers.

The accelerated ice loss threatens regional water supplies and follows a period of record heatwaves. The BBC described the recent level of ice loss as disastrous, as the ongoing melt indicates a long term trend of instability in the Swiss Alps.