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Snow is scarce: a ski slope between Riggisalp (1491 meters above sea level) and Gypsera (1046 meters above sea level).
Fabian BabicEditor News
7.41 degrees. That’s how warm it was in Switzerland on average in 2022. That’s a record – and by a lot. The hottest year so far, 2018, has been surpassed by around 0.5 degrees. The new year has barely begun when temperature records tumble again: for the first time since measurements began, more than 20 degrees were measured on the north side of the Alps in January.
A look at the measurement data reveals a clear trend: It’s getting warmer and warmer. After 2010, Switzerland has experienced the seven hottest years since measurements began. The consequences were noticeable last year: Europe recorded over 20,000 deaths and financial losses of around 10 billion francs due to the heat wave.
“We have to take action”: “I hope we can get the problem under control”(03:06)
Bye, white Christmas!
The leader of the Swiss Worry Barometer is the job of Reto Knutti (49): the climate. Most recently, a visit to his home town of Gstaad BE gave the ETH professor of climate physics an example of the extent of the situation. Where he once learned to ski is now only a white line in the landscape. «Gstaad is a traditional winter sports resort at an altitude of 1000 metres. Now it’s green there instead of white, »says Knutti to Blick. “It’s really sad.” One thing becomes clear: “Climate change is not a pipe dream that will happen somewhere in the world in the distant future. It’s happening here and now.”
According to the climate researcher, less winter magic is programmed in the future: “In the next 30 to 40 years, the snow line will move up by at least 400 meters.” A consequence of this: “White Christmas is becoming an exception in the low altitudes.”
Klaus Marquardt from MeteoNews: “There will be no snow in the next few weeks either”(00:55)
According to Knutti, the milder winters will also result in more precipitation in the form of rain instead of snow. Added to this are melting glaciers. This results in more runoff in winter and spring. The result: Snow and glaciers are decreasing as natural water reservoirs. “This has significant consequences for agriculture, electricity production or the cooling of nuclear power plants,” says Knutti.
“Because we are not self-sufficient, climate change will make it difficult for us economicallyReto Knutti, ETH climate researcher
In the medium term, Switzerland must adjust to the fact that winter will start later and end earlier. However, climate researcher Knutti points out that it is important to think outside the box: “In addition to the fact that the climate is becoming life-threatening over larger areas, global developments will hit Switzerland much harder.”
Switzerland is technically and financially well equipped to cushion climate-related damage. However, climate change is a global phenomenon: “Because we are not self-sufficient, climate change will make it difficult for us economically when it comes to importing food, energy or exporting our services abroad. If the world is doing badly economically, then it hits us too. »
Dry winters, hot summers: That’s why the glaciers are melting away(00:57)
Bye potatoes!
Because of greenhouse gases – above all CO2 – the earth is warming up more and more, explains Knutti. These arise from the combustion of fossil fuels and fuels, from oil, gas and coal.
In the past 100 years or so, the world has warmed by around 1.2 degrees. The Paris Agreement, signed by almost 200 countries, aims to limit warming to well below 2 degrees in order to avert even worse consequences. According to Knutti, however, with the current legislation, the world is moving towards warming of around 3 degrees by 2080. “If you include the declarations of intent and proposed measures by the nations in the calculation, you would come up with a warming of 2 to 2.5 degrees.”
Knutti warns against taking the threat of warming lightly. “As soon as a certain temperature is exceeded, threshold effects occur.” From then on the situation becomes critical. “Potatoes illustrate this well as an example. If it’s a degree warmer, a potato will grow better. But if it’s 5 degrees more, then there are no more potatoes.”