Climate change drives global geological instability

Climate change is increasingly destabilizing geological systems worldwide. As greenhouse gases trap heat, the resulting changes in precipitation patterns, melting glaciers, and warming oceans are causing solid ground to shift.

In regions such as Alaska, Norway, Greenland, Chile, New Zealand, and the European Alps, mountains are experiencing increased instability. The retreat of glaciers leaves behind steep cliffs that were previously supported by ice, leading to collapses and landslides.

Notable recent incidents include a 2023 landslide in a Greenland fjord that generated a 200-meter wave, detectable by monitoring stations globally for nine days. In Switzerland, a glacier detachment buried the village of Blatten, while in Alaska, a landslide-generated tsunami impacted a cruise ship fjord.