How climate change affects the Swiss Alps and how you can help 

The climate is changing, in Switzerland too

How climate is changing in Switzerland

The climate is changing due to global warming. This affects Switzerland too. Examples:

• The average temperature in Switzerland is rising. Heat waves occur more often, and low temperatures are becoming more rare.
• Glaciers are melting away.
• There are fewer days with snowfall.
• Spring is getting wetter in the northern Alps and drier in the southern regions. There’s a downward tendency of precipitation in winter in the Alps and in western Switzerland.

The risks are far greater than possible benefits

Climate change is now a fact, but is it a bad thing? Unfortunately, it is. Global warming caused by humanity is causing a rapid change, much quicker than nature itself would cause. It’s this pace that is causing, and will cause, many problems around the globe.

There are upsides too, like the possibility of better-growing crops in shifting temperate zones, but the disadvantages and risks are far greater, in Switzerland too.

The risks of a changing alpine climate

The Swiss Alps are delicate. Switzerland is taking measures to protect the environment and prevent climate change. But it obviously can’t stop a global problem from affecting the Alps. Many effects are already becoming a reality.

More extremes in heat, drought, and rainfall

Summers are expected to keep getting warmer and drier. Heatwaves are becoming more common. This is especially noticeable and unpleasant in larger Swiss cities, most of which are at low altitudes. Long periods of drought increase the risk of forest fires and put pressure on rural irrigation systems.

Winters are expected to become moister, which increases the chances of flooding.

Heavier rainfall is becoming more frequent, again increasing risks of flooding and damage to infrastructure. In the spring and summer of 2024 for example, heavy rainfall caused damage to Zermatt, valleys in the Ticino, parts of Graubünden, and the Lake Brienz region in the Bernese Oberland. This also affected popular tourist attractions such as the Glacier Express, GoldenPass, and Brienzer Rothorn trains.

Retreating glaciers and rockfalls in the mountains

A large part of the Swiss glaciers will melt away; a process that started decades ago. This changes the landscape and scenery. Dangers can be involved too: reservoir lakes and lakes within glaciers may spill over, and debris flows and landslides can occur.

Permafrost zones (rocks and soil that used to be frozen permanently) are now melting too. This is causing massive rock slides. The Eiger and Matterhorn are examples of famous mountains that already suffered from this phenomenon. It can be a direct threat to villages too. The town of Pontresina built a huge dam in 2003, to protect itself from mud and rock slides.

Less snow and fewer skiing options

There will still be snow in the mountains, but not so much in regions below 1,500 or even 2,000 m. Winter sports will most probably not be possible there anymore.

Tourism and the economy are being affected as well. For example: summer skiing was once possible on Mount Corvatsch. In 1988, this was becoming more difficult because of the retreating glacier. In 1992, the conditions had become even worse and summer skiing is no longer possible ever since.

Shifts in flora and fauna

Flora and fauna will change as climate zones shift to the north. Biodiversity is put under pressure. A significant part of Swiss species and types of habitat are already threatened. Rising temperatures are favorable for disease-spreading insects, such as ticks and invasive mosquitos.

Things you can do to protect the Alps

It’s quite easy to help to protect the Alps while you visit them. The way you travel and the things you buy make a big difference. See what you can do.