Name: Austrias glaciers: Hope on thin ice?
Uploaded: 2025-12-17T14:31:55.648Z
Duration: 7 min 28 s
Description: Glaciologist Tobias Sauter has been monitoring climate change for decades — from Patagonia to the Himalayas. DW met the dedicated scientist immersed in mountain research.

Glaciologist Tobias Sauter has been monitoring climate change for decades — from Patagonia to the Himalayas. DW met the dedicated scientist immersed in mountain research.

Glaciers in the Austrian Alps are rapidly disappearing, with researchers recording significant ice loss in just a few days. These glaciers serve as crucial water reservoirs, and their retreat is already affecting regional water flow and climate. Long-term monitoring projects, such as those at the Hintereisferne glacier, provide valuable data for understanding these changes and their broader implications.

Scientists are also studying glaciers in other regions, including the Himalayas and South America, to assess global trends and develop adaptation strategies. Projections indicate that up to 90% of Alpine ice could vanish by the end of the century, with severe consequences for water availability. Researchers emphasize the importance of immediate action to reduce emissions and stabilize the climate.

Austria's glaciers: Hope on thin ice?

Glaciers here in the Austrian Alps are disappearing rapidly, and with them a vital resource. High mountain regions like this act as water reservoirs. But glacial retreat and the melting of the snow cover is having dramatic consequences. We drilled in the pole four days ago. And now we're measuring the distance from the glacier surface to the mark on the pole. And it's almost 37 centimeters, which is a considerable amount in four days. Glacier melt is a global phenomenon, including in South America, where Tobias Sauter has been conducting research for 20 years. Heavy snowfall of up to 30 meters per year in the high mountain regions of Patagonia has so far meant that water scarcity is not an acute issue, partly because relatively few people live here. But even here, precise measurements provide valuable data for global climate projections and underpin international research. Tobias Sauter is a glaciologist, climatologist and geographer at Humboldt University in Berlin. We join him on a mountain expedition to one of the most extensive glacier research sites in Europe. We have records of the Hintereisferne going back to the 1950s, which is a big exception. Only a small number of glaciers worldwide have monitoring records of 50, 60 or even 70 years, perhaps only 30 or 40. That's what makes the Hintereisferne so special. Signs along the trail mark the glacier's retreat, with dates showing how far the Hintereisferne once extended. This valley was once completely covered by snow and ice. So is this down to nature or an anthropogenic effect, meaning that we humans are responsible? The Glacier Space Project, a partnership between Humboldt University and Austria's University of Innsbruck, measures climatic changes directly on the glacier. An eight-meter-tall tower fitted with sensitive sensors records temperature, wind and turbulence. The instruments show exactly how much ice melts and how quickly. When glaciers shrink, it affects the regional climate, and that's what interests us most. What happens as glaciers get smaller? Are there feedback effects that could accelerate melting even further? German Alex, this is Tobi. Yes, I can hear you. We're admiring your setup. The mast and the lidar. Really impressive. Thanks, happy to hear it. I've always loved the mountains, through hiking and climbing. And now it's my profession. Not many people can say they've turned their hobby into a career. When I look at my office here, I can't imagine a better one. Standing on a glacier, taking measurements, generating new knowledge about a place that fascinates me. I think it's just wonderful. My motivation comes primarily from scientific curiosity. I also give talks to policymakers and other stakeholders, which allows me to convey the beauty of these places and spark interest. And I can also highlight the importance of taking action now, so that we can continue to enjoy these beautiful landscapes in the future. Do we need to turn the solar panels again? Yes, maybe a little more toward the west. Okay, see you in a minute. Okay, over and out. Glacier research is highly relevant. We use glaciers like the Hintereissperrner as benchmarks. They're easy to access logistically. We can stay for weeks, rotate teams, and gather a large amount of new data. This is the tiny research base 3,000 meters up, where the team cooks, sleeps, and works together. Alex and Elinor are normally based in Berlin. They installed the monitoring tower together with their colleague Leo from Innsbruck. Onions, olives, capers. And right now they're teaming up to cook today's dinner – pasta. Our fresh supplies are slowly running out. Water is a key issue in our research group. We have several ongoing projects. One of them is here. This is basic research aimed at understanding how the processes work in this mountain region. And we also have projects in Costa Rica and Uzbekistan. There, we also have projects in the Arctic. We also have projects in the Arctic. And we also have projects in Costa Rica and Uzbekistan. There, the focus is on how we can develop adaptation strategies for the future, when water problems become even more extreme than they already are in some regions. What does glacier loss mean for water? Glaciers feed our rivers. But in many regions, peak water – the point at which their contribution is highest – has already passed. In the Alps, the flow of water is already far less. In the Himalayas, peak water is expected between 2040 and 2050. The consequences will be severe – floods first, then droughts. Up to 90% of Alpine ice could vanish by the end of the century. Even in the Himalayas, with its vast glacier fields, only around 60% may remain. Tobias Sauter doesn't just teach in lecture halls. He takes students on field trips from Berlin to the Ötztal Mountains in Austria. Lectures, discussions and practical exercises make it clear that the changes to the glaciers here are early warning signs of what is to come globally, especially if the 1.5° climate target is missed. When you talk to your fellow students about how hopeless and frustrating everything can feel, you also see a shared motivation. We all want to do something. That can be really encouraging, even if the numbers look bleak. It's not too late. We've probably already missed the 1.5° target. But there is still time to turn things around. To find ways of reducing emissions and stabilising the climate, so that we'll still have our glaciers for a few more years.

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