scientists say the recent high temperatures have been exacerbated by manmade climate change. they're up to date now on d.w. news america edelstein from me and the entire team here in berlin thanks for watching. it's time to take one step further and face the possible. time to search the no fun for the 1st. time to overcome barriers and contact the world it's time for dublin. coming up ahead.

of the spectacular. dazzling ice against a brilliant blue sky donnie arnold and his friend are extreme mountaineers on a quest for the ultimate thrill. and they're climbing the pits a nearly full 1000 meter peak. unselected pick a position where i sat in the wind you hear the tension of it crests and hisses when it breaks up the ice blocks it's really cool he says a. buzz an increasing number of scientists a warning that such adventures might soon become impossible global warming is melting the glaziers dani arnold can see for himself the effects of climate change easy on the days when you could really go climbing in winter that clip them called 10 years ago he thought there were lots more. the female also.

experts say we're at a turning point there's less snow less ice and glaziers are retreating. it won't be long before the hour as we know them no longer exist. stagings day. in spring 2018 the mood in the glazier 3000 ski result in switzerland was euphoric even among scientists

a team led by glazier expert. from the swiss federal institute of technology in zurich visits the mountains twice a year once in spring and again in autumn when the season begins. they investigate how much fresh snow fall there was in winter and the thickness of the snow cover over the ice the moss now there's been the better the condition of the glazier today the 25th of april 28th seen it's in better shape than it's been for a while. more than 5 metres of snow fell in winter. jamba itself. we've measured snow water equivalent at 7 glaciers across what's our

land our measurements showed that in 2018 snow cover was well above average. and there wasn't quite as much snow depth everywhere and switzerland as there was here but it doesn't look like there was perhaps as much as 50 percent more than in a normal year sent me ya. ya. but here's horse will be back in autumn. there are plenty of people who see the healthy snow fall as proof that climate change is a mess. but in europe's highest mountain ranges the evidence is all around in italy switzerland austria slovenia and germany. the environmental research station she found a house is located just beneath the peak of the. it's the highest altitude research

post in germany for professor anetta mental and her students from the technical university in munich it's the starting point for an alpine expedition she tells them that they can see the signs of global warming every day high levels of pollen for example that can be potentially life threatening for people with allergies. is the one result of global warming is that the pollen season starts earlier but doesn't end earlier there's a lot of pollen about even in autumn due to invasive species and increased levels of carbon dioxide in the air also raises pollen production. ringback the. eco climatology students will meet dozens of experts on the alpine study trip . starting with michelle cloud batter

a scientist of international renown his area of expertise is permafrost and landslides erosion and natural hazards right. now is the 1st we have to run now the temperature increase means the permafrost in the alps is starting to melt there is a growing risk of rock fall and mountains are simply not as cold as they used to be called blatter explains. next the group sense ought to see inside that. measuring the thickness of the permafrost is a bit like performing open heart surgery. or inspiring and intense. this tunnel is just 50 centimeters high that scientists have to crawl on all fours.

the permafrost inside the took spitzer is between a couple and a couple of dozen meters thick depending on side temperatures nowadays it's possible to measure it precisely the rock is illuminated with countless electrical sensors increasingly less rock inside the mountain is permanently frozen even here at germany's highest peak the permafrost is visibly thawing. cynicism symes. we've been observing a clear reduction in the permafrost since february of 2007 so more than a decade ago the occasional cold winter can slow the process slightly but over the years we've seen the thawed vents and rubble and rocks stabilize the ice in the critical areas where. the thought has set in but we have to keep a careful eye on it in case instabilities arise later. alpine instability

the residents of the small village of bondo in the swiss camp tone of carbon can know all too well what that can mean. verizon is is saying goodbye to her parents' home the house she spent her whole life in it has to be demolished. in a guess what when i see my house dying this slow death it makes me very sad. i'm ready to leave now seem to forget. in summer 2017 a massive landslide that pits chain glow brought 3000000 cubic meters of rock crashing down into the valley. whose desperate i suddenly heard this terrible noise and shout i looked up at the mountain and saw huge chunks of rock cascading down the side of it it looked like a larva but moving very slowly and soundlessly it was ice water and soil

a having. a surveillance camera at a local carpentry business recorded these images. 8 hikers were killed part of the village was destroyed the landslide was a result of climate change. they used to be houses here now there's just rubble. hell verizon has his house was full of boulders and rocks. it's in the prohibited area of the village where people are no longer allowed to live. 82 year old elvira zionists had to leave bondo she moved in with her son in a neighboring village her house was 345 years old her great grandfather bought it. with. that. house i do. this that. mom

found about his initially i was just very sad i cried a lot of see how i was glad that i was there when it was torn down. it's the same as it is with people you don't let people die alone i didn't want my home to die a land. they have in us. the $200.00 residents of bondo are still at risk another $3000000.00 cubic metres of rock fall from pits jenga low could hit the village at any time. montagnier other fair but that the mountain has a fever they say here. was

the landslide that devastated bondo a one off are such disasters set to become more frequent to answer these questions professor michelle card blatter has put together a team of scientists today they're heading to what bay believe is one of the most intriguing spots in the entire house. the helicopter has hardly any room to land here on the hopeful but the border between germany and austria runs over the summit not far from over a stop. in 2014 a crack appeared in a mountain that has since widened there is an acute risk of rock for one of 2 paths at the top of the mountain has been closed off. an aerial view reveals the full extent of the danger several hundreds of thousands of tons of rock

could hurtle into the valley. collecting data at an altitude of 2600 meters is a risky undertaking what could happen if the summit collapses doesn't bear thinking about. if it's possible there's about 260000 cubic meters of rock mass we began taking measurements here in 2014 and since then it's moved to 30 centimeters right now it's moving several millimeters a month i need. to from what i want to deformations underway are so strong and can change in such a short space of time that it won't be long now well it could all come crashing down this year or next year or next we can't rule that out. the alps are effectively held together by permafrost not just here in al going germany and bondo

switzerland but everywhere. the cracks are showing literally in the alpine itll. today the students are visiting screes slopes it wasn't long ago that these were covered in snow all year round. europe's high mountain regions a highly sensitive to climate change they react to the slightest rise in temperature by even a 10th of a degree to any extended period without rain to every interference in nature with dramatic consequences. the temperature is rising and then there are a lot of activities of which any were going to hard so basically it's hard it's going to lead us even more in the future for example if you're using fossil

fuels on that on the planet it's going to affect the not only the same country that it's going to affect you know billy. matters to me because it affects my. the future of the future of my children and the whole ecosystem of that one so i love nature i love being outside and that's why i want to learn about all this and find out what the future holds in mountain region the state of nevada i think things here and then if if i can transfer the technology or the knowledge that i have gained here or there then i will leave that we can lower the. climate we can mitigate not exactly the or we cannot do anything but adapt to the climate change happen.

with it's all year round snowy cap's germany's highest mountain is a major tourist attraction. was. that took spitzer's glazier is no longer growing it's melting away by 2040 at the latest it will have retreated completely. snowplows scrape together the last of the winter snow it's stored in snow depth. at the start of a new season it will be used to get the beasts ready bad way the season can get started as early as possible but the lack of snow is becoming increasingly problematic in 2018 even with snow farming the skiing season couldn't start in

november because the temperatures on the tube spitzer were just too warm. i. even results in high altitudes now rely on artificial snow which is water and energy intensive. demand is so great that ski lift operators sometimes buy snow from private suppliers almost every village in the alps is dependent on tourism therefore. keeping the visitors happy is all that matters whatever the cost no $1.00 wants the party to be over.

in summer the cost of all of that fun is written into the landscape. the result of silver platter is located above. the slopes a little with countless snow machines maintaining the resort is a huge financial investment the damage wrought by tourism is substantial. hydrologist common to young from the university of strasbourg researches the effects of artificial snow on the alps he vows she is taken aback by the extent of the erosion caused by winter sports given the here this channel is very wide almost 2 metres you can tell from where i'm standing that it's really deep the ground is eroding completely there are channels all over the slopes big and small and. the young wants to establish if the ground can still absorb water she measures the

density of the soil the snowcat some heavy artificial snow have left her soil extremely compacted. gets thanks it's a struggle to position the measuring rod she's never seen results like these before . this fuss over and over the water will just flow off the surface as a result the pieced will be completely impermeable the water flowing here doesn't get absorbed it just runs off the surface and causes widespread erosion i think it's feast and open up on fields this is normally a really pretty meadow with permeable ground that's able to absorb water or fall. yet new snow machines are being installed all over the alps like here in santa maria it's where 2 kilometers of pipeline are being laid ski pieced song created ever high altitudes for many resorts it's the only way they can survive the costs

are exploding and eventually many ski lift operators simply won't be able to afford to stay in business winter sports industry is being outstripped by climate change. the production of artificial snow calls for vast quantities of water. manmade reservoirs are fed with melt water and mountain streams want to have it's needed elsewhere unique landscapes are being altered beyond recognition and gradually destroyed. so she could be to use a new resorts are not insured against climate change if there's a temperature rise of one or 2 degrees then there is no guaranteed snow cover here she could beat it and there's no proper ski season anymore. i mean she sits on a type. according to the latest studies we may see a temperature increase of 4 degrees celsius by the end of the century for the time

being there are 630 ski resorts across the alps from slovenia to france by 208580 percent will likely have no more guaranteed snow cover and will therefore shut down a study conducted by the swiss federal institute of technology in zurich predicts that they'll only be natural snow cover up words of an altitude of 2400 metres. but despite this gloomy outlook many ski lift operators of failing to react many jobs depend on the winter sports industry but while they look the other way the unique natural world of the alps is slowly but surely degrading. the fledgling climatologists are now on their way to the lake fashion power plant its waters flow through the pipelines 200 meters down the mountainside to lake and

powers turbines. the increasing scarcity of water originating from high altitude sources is a harbinger of potential desert if occasion in parts of the alps melt water is especially in short supply on the edges of the alps in up above area in the past the water level in the late version had to be deliberately reduced there was a risk of flooding due to the vast amount of melt water in the spring. so we were feverish there used to be so much snow melt here that we had to make room for it in the lake wanted support for a while now there's been much less the lake can absorb it so we don't need to reduce the water level. in this we can sink with. everything here in the alps is linked power generation on water supply. rising temperatures and the increased incidence of rock for. the following permafrost and

the developing a routine. for years eco climatologist anetta mental has been taking students on study trips to the alps how much has the situation here changed in one time. it was definitive so well we definitely need to worry in alpine regions the temperature has already risen to degrees celsius. so that's a bigger increase than in the lowlands and a lot more than the global average. and the forecasts back this up there will be more of a temperature rise here than in surrounding regions and that's why there are such massive changes in nature i from the glaciers to the forests from hydrology to water supply. for example all trees require a specific temperature to flourish as temperatures rise ideal tree habitats are now at high altitudes. oh i did i was moved to i was that means is to be where the

temperature suits them they actually need to be $500.00 metres higher up the slopes than they are that includes tree species suited to mountain peaks but the problem with that is they can't be 500 meters higher up because obviously they're already of the summit so where do they go back to in the end and what's. there's no shortage of evidence that the alpine environment is changing here in austria teams of specialists work tirelessly to avert landslides. disasters are becoming increasingly common not only landslides but also to rental rain and flooding. climate change is also causing periods of sustained drought and heat which leads to forest fires such as here in peak mount italy in october 27th teen. aggravated by

strong hot and dry winds wild fires raged across the region for weeks on end some 1000 people were evacuated from their homes including 200 residents of a retirement home. renate bruno was in charge of dozens of firefighters from across the region who battled team fan 0 $1.00 of the worst hit areas was outside the small town of mam pantera the flames were up to $100.00 metres high recalls bruno many houses were completely destroyed even i am parts melted in the blaze. if you know men don't in fairness with a mentor it was an inferno it was bad enough for the people in the valley you could see it raging or without them but it was worse for the people who were nearer for those involved in trying to put it out there were some highly critical moments the situation was dangerous because of the wind you think you were safe but then the

wind would turn and suddenly you'd be surrounded by flames. but there are so many razor blades going to. the amount of forests destroyed by wildfire in italy in 2017 was 3 times greater than in the previous year in periods of extreme heat all it takes is one tiny spark to start a huge conflagration. bruno says that 70 percent of mam cantero was destroyed this forest will never regenerate . not waste the earth or sold them and then the strays can't be salvaged if they're not deciduous trees they could recover they're completely charred is nothing you can do but chop them down so if you're from the sea of sonora but the main.

devastation on this scale is unprecedented in the region not even the older firefighters have ever seen anything like it. seen on climate change carries on at this rate and there are no longer drive periods in the summer and less and less snow in the winter than the situation is only going to get worse with an average or. people in engadine and switzerland are also struggling with drier conditions for. centuries local farmers have been relying on melt water to irrigate their fields but mount water has become a finite resource.

greater denser meanwhile relies on rain water between february and august there was hardly any rain is meadow is completely parched. as you can see it's as dry as hay. nothing's grown since may. the grass should be needy but this time of year when the cows will soon be coming down from the mountain meadows. about. his cows are still grazing in pasture at an elevation of 1900 metres but there too the ground is far too dry. and the cows aren't getting enough to drink in the summer of 2018 their supply had almost completely dried up. every drop is precious.

greater don't search the cattle regularly he fears for the future of his alpine pasture. i've got 90 cows and their calves. and the water here isn't even enough for a single cat. if there's not enough water the cows graze less and then produce less milk. clouds are gathering it looks like it might rain. but no it's yet another dry day a farmer has to rely on an alternative source of water. right now this is the only way of ensuring a water supply on the meadow the helicopter delivers 700 liters

a go and it takes several trips to fill up the well at a cost of 1300 euros. it's only enough for $4.00 to $5.00 days. for farmers like greater don't surf water has become a critical issue there's not enough for that animals to drink and there's not enough to keep the meadows green and that means not enough animal feed. 1st they go we aren't going to have enough animal feed for the coming winter. so either we can buy in feed which is very expensive or we reduce our cattle or. radio to him so i had no choice but to slaughter some of his animals this year.

farmers ski resorts tourist nature everyone and everything needs water and it's running out hydrologist common to yong is measuring natural evaporation the results are alarming. she says the climate has become as dry as the sun held region in the sahara because little rain and large scale evaporation. distribution of water will become an increasing challenge in dry alpine banners all far tears will have to do the best they can. so in some comfort it does. pain the future there will be more and more bottlenecks. are simply won't be enough water to irrigate all the meadows i suspect there have to be stricter partitioning . like in dry countries in africa. africa so definitely is.

a. descent into the underworld ice climber dani arnold is exploring inside of 10 martini glass yet can they count on a ban in switzerland. deep in the grass he finds spectacular rock and dice formations. not many people have ever been down here let me write that down even get to the very bottom only because the ice is solid enough this permafrost is thousands of years old. yeah.

this is steep and dangerous climb back out a unique experience. it might not be possible to do this in the foreseeable future . the smoke with nothing actually makes me think if you bear in mind that researchers say that none of this will be here any more in 90 years time. are all more glaciers. that's pretty tragic isn't it this is surely going to be even with that all this year. we are large glass here in valets switzerland is the largest in the alps. 20 kilometers long and in parts nearly one kilometer think. of a from the swiss federal institute of technology in zurich is researching this

massive natural wonder will it survive. in a clothes furniture we can't really do anything because now the glacier is reacting to is a shift in the climate was an increase of temperatures that we had in from the ninety's which means that evan if we don't whatever happened in the future and i'm not so sure we'll keep retreat by at least 5 kilometers in time and what would happen if temperatures rose by 4 degrees as experts now predict. very has calculated that by the end of the century the last year will have almost completely disappeared. so in free i mean if we assume that it's climates and i knew it was right you know curious most likely that there will be very little ice by 2100 and yet it's obvious that here in his friend's kid there would be no more ice no longer ice you know since i'm sure.

concordia alpine hot is situated a few kilometers higher up for the last few years it's been run by christophe saga and his family today he's getting it ready for the summer season.

it can accommodate 155 guests alpine hikers skinners and glazier enthusiastic from all over the world thanks to its panoramic views the concordia heart is one of the most popular alpine hostels in europe. and it's the most beautiful place in the world to work no other alpine huts that are lovely but to me this is just the most amazing place in the world to work in. but it's under threat. halfway down steep metal steps christophe saga points out the evidence that the our niche is dying. for. the what

was originally built on the spot and 877 back then the glacier reached roughly the point we're standing at so in the course of 140 years everything beyond that point has melted so that. it's retreated about 150 meters. of. 150 meters in 140 years about a metre a year. the ice is melting faster sometimes 2 sometimes 3 meters a year. the

alledged last year's days are numbered. tourism in the alps needs to change and become more gentle and sustainable in some regions this shift is already happening in slovenia for example. rafting in the picturesque and low gas valley.

in the. the countryside here is it did take. slovenia hasn't always been on the tourist map but its popularity is growing as a destination for alpine tourists who respect the environment. jennifer and josh come from alaska this is their 3rd vacation in slovenia they love its unspoiled nature. and then also think on the far. we we tend to look for someplace that's off the beaten path edges is the type of i think you are and so just a little bit of research and we decided that this sounded like

a good place to book perhaps explore 3 years ago and we came and we were delighted there's this country it's small but it seems to have almost anything you would want to find anywhere in the rest of europe. and. like jennifer and josh a growing number of tourists are looking for landscapes off the beaten path that flourished naturally places that don't need snow machines in winter and a left barren in summer slovenia is exactly what they're after. fly fishing in the crystal clear waters of lakes of a new. 400 kilometers northwest in response to are all on the border to up above area this is where the climatology students 4 day excursion ends they're not really here to learn how to catch fish but about how increasingly warm waters are

affecting fish stocks many species can survive. here one of the articles that were in the impact of climate change in the alps is impossible to overlook. what i find especially worrying is that many people don't seem to want to believe it's happening. or they don't care even though it's visible all around so for this idea that it is the south this is anyone else we all have as much water flowing downstream in the rivers like this when i hear. this we'll be living in a very little of that swiss without noting whispers over the side of the so it is still for sale so what things don't look good but there's no point being pessimistic it's more constructive to be optimistic and to take the lessons we've learned here and use them personally and professionally to do what we can the facts and to fight climate change as much as we can and to try to stop it was that.

there has always been human intervention in the alps it's been farmed pozen roads have been built on the slopes villagers in the valleys have grown sometimes on spots that are now high risk the people who live here will have to adapt to try a hotter conditions and a future without i.c.'s. was a bit of a mid september glazier expert marty has has and his team can up a visit to glazier 3000 their findings in april were positive how are things looking now. on.

the ground crackles and his says has the researchers make their way to measuring kant's that's not a good sign but glazier that crossing is dying all the snow that should be covering it is gone in the space of just a few months. i was going to put in. when we were here and april there was an incredible snow cover 5 meters deep crater from the snow was the 2nd compact just think about it 5 meters of snow 3000 meters above sea level has melted in the course of a summer. of thought that was possible to make if you're out. 5 metres of snow and 1.3 meters of place here. the melting of the glaziers is irreversible. mathias horse is watching his beloved glaziers die it's nothing less than a tragedy. find

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