In May, the Swiss Village of Blatten
In May, the Swiss village of Blatten became a stark reminder of our warming world. Within minutes, a deadly mix of mud, rock and ice, released from a collapsing glacier, tore down the mountainside. Homes were destroyed, the land was reshaped and a new lake formed when a river was blocked by debris.
Thankfully, scientists had been monitoring the glacier and evacuated all 300 residents weeks earlier. Even so, they had not predicted the full scale of the damage. This was not a rare accident. It is part of a growing pattern of extreme events, just like the increasing number of wildfires across the globe.
A Melting Nation
These are not just numbers. Glaciologists in the Alps have confirmed what many feared: melting is speeding up. Permafrost, the frozen layer that holds mountain slopes together, is also thawing. Without it, mountains become unstable. The result is more rockfalls, mudslides and avalanches.
A Global Emergency
Switzerland is just one example. Glaciers from the Himalayas to the Andes are shrinking at record speeds.
Ice covers around 10% of Earth’s surface. Nearly 90% is in Antarctica and most of the rest in Greenland. If global temperatures continue to rise, some models suggest Greenland could lose all of its ice by 2040.
The impact would be huge. Sea levels could rise by up to 20 feet. Coastal cities would flood and millions could lose their homes. These conditions could also fuel more climate-driven disasters such as wildfires, floods and severe storms.
Ripple Effects in the Ocean and the Risk of More Wildfires
When glaciers melt, cold freshwater enters the oceans. This disrupts currents such as the Gulf Stream, which shapes weather patterns across Europe, North America and beyond.
Changes in temperature and salinity affect global climate systems like El Niño and La Niña. The knock-on effects include stronger hurricanes, unpredictable monsoons, long droughts and more frequent wildfires in drought-hit regions. Coastal erosion, flooding and large-scale migration often follow.
Tracking the Collapse
In Switzerland, scientists monitor 20 glaciers at different altitudes and terrains. They also work with international teams to track 10 more. The results are clear. While glaciers have been shrinking since the 19th century, the rate of loss in the past 20 years is unlike anything recorded before.
For Alpine communities, this is personal. Melting ice threatens homes, jobs and tourism. In Nepal, glaciers supply essential summer water. Without them, millions could face severe shortages and crop failures.
What Now?
Climate change is not a distant problem. It is here, it is accelerating and it is affecting everything from small mountain villages to global weather systems.
The collapse in Blatten was not just a local disaster. It was a warning to the world. The same urgency applies to the spread of wildfires and other extreme climate events.
Governments must set stronger climate laws. Businesses must commit to clean energy. Individuals must act now, not later.
The choices we make today will determine whether our children inherit a planet that can recover or one locked in a cycle of crisis.