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Updated September 7th, 2021 at 06:28 IST

Climate change could see Europe lose its Pyrenees glaciers in two decades: Study

European scientists across Spain and France have warned that the Pyrenees glaciers, the largest in southern Europe, can melt out of existence in 20 years

Reported by: Harsh Vardhan
Climate change
Image: AP | Image:self
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European scientists across Spain and France have warned that the Pyrenees glaciers, the largest in the southern part of Europe, can melt out of existence in the next two decades as the effects of climate change intensify. Research conducted for almost a decade in the European mountains from 2011 to 2020 showed that the total glacierised area in Europe has shrunk by 23.2% in just nine years.

Researchers from the Pyrenean Institute of Ecology revealed that the study which focused on 17 out of the total 24 glaciers in the Pyrenees have lost up to a fifth of their surface, which makes for more than six meters in thickness of the ice. Surprisingly, some areas have lost an average of 10 metres of ice with the most being 20 metres in few cases.

The changes were tracked using different methodologies like the high-resolution optical satellite, airborne lidar and UAV images. Moreover, the thickness changes were determined by comparing the 3D images captured and generated by drone flights in 2020 and those obtained with an airborne LiDAR sensor (in 2011). As per the institute, these methodologies are extremely productive but the characteristics of the areas to be monitored, in form of flight and access makes their application complex.

Climate Change effects on Europe's glaciers

The study pointed out that the rate of losing ice from the mountains have maintained a steady pace since the 1990s which have posed threats to other similar territories across Europe. Besides, there have been no slowing signs of the melting process and indicates the demise of Pyrenean glaciers in the following decades. 

According to a 2019 report published by The Guardian, two-third of the ice on the Apls glacier will disappear by the end of 2100. Besides, it reported that 4,000 glaciers will be wiped out by 2050. The report further warned that even the lowering of carbon emissions to zero won't keep the glaciers intact by the end of this century. In another study cited by The Guardian, ice caps in Asia's mountain chains are also at risk with a sword of flood hanging over two billion people. 

(With inputs from AP, Image: AP)

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Published September 7th, 2021 at 06:28 IST

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