Alarm for the Alps: Climate change brings landslides and new dangers!

Alarm for the Alps: Climate change brings landslides and new dangers!

There is a worrying development in the Alps: rockfalls and avalanches are increasing. Extreme climber Stefan Glowacz warns of a radical upheaval in the region, particularly due to the effects of climate change. In a tragic incident in May 2025, a massive rock and debris avalanche engulfed the village of Blatten, Switzerland, requiring the evacuation of 300 residents and leaving a shepherd missing Mercury reported.

Glowacz describes the increasingly frequent rockfalls as “the tip of the iceberg” and emphasizes that the melting of permafrost will have dramatic consequences for tourism in Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Switzerland. Ski resorts could no longer be accessible in the next few years. According to his forecast, road closures and diversions are unavoidable, as is the possibility of having to relocate entire locations.

Urgent need for action in tourism

In order to meet these challenges, Glowacz calls for a rethink in tourism. He suggests promoting summer tourism, but foregoing additional attractions such as viewing platforms or suspension bridges. The prevailing trend could drastically transform the Alps and fundamentally change what is available in the region.

Cited in the overall assessment of the dangerous situation in the Alps ZDF today Experts who find that the risks caused by mountain and rock falls, mudslides and rock falls are increasing. Climate change is causing permafrost to melt, endangering the stability of mountains. An example: In August 2023, an American mountaineer filmed a rock fall on the Aiguille du Midi, in which boulders narrowly missed a group at the foot of the mountain. Such cases could become more common in the future.

Monitoring and forecasting

Climate researchers warn of the increased dangers posed by rising temperatures. The permafrost is currently melting, even at altitudes above 2,800 meters. This leads to unstable rock and a domino effect in which melting ice causes further melting. In Kandersteg, a region in the Bernese Alps, geologists have been monitoring an endangered peak for six years. In the worst case, up to 18 million cubic meters of rock could fall into the valley.

Forecasts indicate that the likelihood of small rockslides causing mud and debris avalanches will increase. A monitoring system already enables a warning time of 24 hours. In times of growing uncertainty, property prices in vulnerable areas are experiencing a rapid decline. Nils Hählen, head of the natural hazards department in the canton of Bern, has also documented the decline of permafrost in his region by around 20 meters.

Innovative technologies are also being used to better understand the situation. Geoengineers from the Technical University of Munich are testing laser technology at Hochvogel in the Allgäu Alps. This technique allows up to two million measurements per second and shows that the summit is currently stable, although a 70 meter deep and 5 meter wide fissure is causing concern.

In summary, the changes in the Alps caused by climate change represent a serious problem - not only for the environment, but also for the local economy and tourism. The coming decades will be crucial in determining how these challenges can be overcome.