State of the World from NPR Looking Back: The Effects of Melting Glaciers in Europe
Dec 26, 2025
Rob Schmitz, NPR Berlin correspondent, dives into the heart of Europe's melting glaciers with insights from the Swiss Alps. He uncovers how climate change is warming the continent at double the global rate, leading to dramatic glacier loss. The discussion explores the terrifying ramifications, such as altered river flows impacting shipping industries. Interviews with experts like glaciologist Daniel Farinotti reveal alarming data on ice loss and the vital role glaciers play in summer water supplies. Glimpse the future of Europe's waterways!
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Village Buried By Glacier Collapse
- Barbara Hochreiner watched her village get buried after the Birch Glacier slid and crashed down the mountainside.
- She described the scene as "beyond imagination" with homes and the church turned into a pile of mud, sand, and rocks.
Glaciers Shrinking Rapidly
- Daniel Farinotti links increased rockfall and faster glacier movement to warmer temperatures and long-term shrinkage.
- He warns many Swiss glaciers may disappear by the late century if current warming continues.
Fieldwork On The Rhone Glacier
- Rob Schmitz joined Farinotti's team on the Rhone Glacier wearing crampons and carrying monitoring gear.
- They observed crevasses, blue-tinged ice, and audible meltwater flowing through caverns beneath the surface.