Schlatenkees glacier shows rapid melting in Austria

A photo series released by Greenpeace documents the rapid melting of the Schlatenkees glacier in East Tyrol, Austria. Photographed by Mitja Kobal since August 2019, the images illustrate how the thick ice layer is being transformed into a meltwater lake.

According to data from the Hohe Tauern National Park, the glacier's area shrank from 9.1 square kilometers in 1998 to 6.8 square kilometers in 2022, representing a 25 percent loss. The Austrian Alpine Club (ÖAV) also reported significant retreat, noting a loss of 93.7 meters in length in 2023. The Schlatenkees was previously highlighted in the 2021/2022 glacier report for its extreme decline of 89.5 meters.

Greenpeace experts state that glaciers serve as a mirror of the climate crisis. They noted that the loss of ice does not only result from warming but also contributes to it, as intact glaciers actively cool the atmosphere. Their disappearance leads to increased local temperatures in high mountain regions. The primary drivers cited for this deglaciation include high temperatures and low precipitation levels.