Wilderness

Austria’s biggest glacier is rapidly disappearing: the Pasterze

Climate change, or as we prefer to call it “climate overheating”, is currently one of the biggest threats to our survival on planet Earth. Since human industrialisation we have released unimaginable amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. And we still continue to do so.

A striking example of climate overheating is the increased speed, at which glaciers around the world disappear. Scientists and environmentalists rang the alarm bell already decades ago. But there are still people, who believe that climate overheating is not caused by humans, or even real!

Every corner of our planet has striking examples of retreating glaciers. In Alaska we find the Muir Glacier, which has a well-documented retreat of more than 50 km (31 miles) in length during the 20th century. In Greenland, the Helheim Glacier retreated 7.5 km (4.7 miles) in the first years of the 21st century. And here in Austria we can witness climate overheating with our own eyes. Just a few hours from the our main office, we find the Pasterze glacier.

A glacier of extremes

The Pasterze is Austrias biggest glacier and the longest in the Eastern Alps. It is located on the side of Austria’s highest mountain, the Grossglockner, within the National Park Hohe Tauern. But it is also retreating at an incredible high speed. More than 100 years ago, the Pasterze was more than 11 kilometers long. Today, it is less than 8 km long and it lost more than half of its volume. It is retreating with a speed of 10-20 meters per year, and the results are clearly visible and terrifying.

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5 thoughts on “Austria’s biggest glacier is rapidly disappearing: the Pasterze

  • i love my life and big things like glaciers

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