In one of the most severe annual declines ever recorded, Swiss glaciers have lost an estimated 5.5% of their remaining ice during 2026. A monitoring service has said that a mild winter left less protective snow than usual, while intense heatwaves in May and June rapidly exposed darker glacier ice, which absorbs more solar energy and melts faster. Scientists found that even glaciers 3,500 metres above sea level had no snow remaining by summer’s end, with some losing four metres of ice at their highest points. Melting glaciers released an estimated 2.2 trillion litres of water between July and September, temporarily helping water supplies during dry conditions. However, researchers warn that continued shrinkage could eventually reduce water available for agriculture, hydropower and river transport. Glacier loss and thawing frozen ground can also destabilise mountain slopes, increasing landslide risks. Scientists say many Alpine glaciers cannot survive current temperatures, although reducing carbon emissions could preserve substantial glacier ice elsewhere.