ROME — Italy’s Ventina glacier, a prominent natural feature in northern Lombardy, is experiencing unprecedented melting due to climate change. Geologists report that the glacier has deteriorated so much that traditional measurement methods used for 130 years have become ineffective.
After this summer’s extreme heat, researchers found that the stakes typically used to track the glacier’s retreat are now buried under rocks and debris, making it too dangerous to assess in person. In response, the Lombardy Glaciological Service will utilize drone imagery and remote sensing technology to monitor the glacier’s ongoing decline, which is significant as this region will host events for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Since measurements began in 1895, the Ventina glacier has lost approximately 1.7 kilometers (about 1 mile) in length. Recent years have seen this trend accelerate sharply, with a loss of 431 meters (471 yards) in just the last decade—nearly half of which has occurred since 2021. This situation exemplifies the broader impacts of climate change, as Europe’s glaciers continue to shrink.
Andrea Toffaletti, a member of the Lombardy Glaciological Service, noted that while there were hopes of natural cycles stabilizing the glacier until the 1980s, the last four decades have shown alarming changes.
Italy’s mountain glaciers, particularly in the Alps and Dolomites, have been retreating for years. This is largely due to insufficient snowfall during winter and increasingly hot summer months. Traditionally, glaciers would lose some ice in summer, which feeds local rivers, but this year’s heat has meant that the winter snowpack needed for the glaciers’ survival is in jeopardy.
Toffaletti emphasized the importance of leftover snow on the glacier during summer, which is becoming less common. According to the Lombardy service, the Alps are a climate hotspot, having seen temperature rises twice the global average since pre-industrial times, which has led to a staggering 64% loss in the volume of Alpine glaciers.
A study reported in February revealed a concerning trend: glaciers worldwide lost ice at a rate of about 255 billion tons annually from 2000 to 2011. This loss accelerated to about 346 billion tons each year over the subsequent decade, highlighting a critical environmental issue that demands attention and action.
