Portrait of CC
The Cryospheric Commission (CC) monitoring networks was founded in 1893 as the glacier commission and is integrated within the Swiss Academy of Science (SCNAT) more precise within the Platform Geosciences. In relation to the changes caused by the incipient climate change it is the Commission’s task to observe the changes of the alpine cryosphere. Furthermore it is in charge of the supervision of all long-term national cryospheric monitoring networks. The commission works in close cooperation with the Swiss Snow, Ice and Permafrost Society (SIP).
Snow and ice embody fundamental environmental factors for the human being (climate, water supply, natural hazards, education and economy etc.). This is why the process of observing the alpine cryosphere is an important component within the overall monitoring of climate-related changes. Thanks to a resolution – which was requested by the Department of Home Affairs- of the Swiss Federal Council in 2008 it has been possible to safeguard the funding of long-term measurement series. Switzerland’s significant position in global climate observation is strengthened by this sustainable long-term funding back-up for various measuring series (especially of glaciers and permafrost). The funding is assured by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), MeteoSchweiz, the Federal Office for the Environment and the Swiss Academy of Sciences as well as the participating Universities and institutes for scientific research.
Events, News, Publications
100 geologische Stätten aus aller Welt wurden von der International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) aufgrund ihrer Bedeutung für das Verständnis des Planeten Erde und seiner Geschichte ausgewählt. Darunter befinden sich als einziger Schweizer Standort die Engadiner Blockgletscher, die für die Dokumentation und Erforschung des Gebirgspermafrostes einzigartig sind.
Image: A. Cicoria
2022 was a disastrous year for Swiss glaciers: all ice melt records were smashed by the great dearth of snow in winter and continuous heatwaves in summer. More than 6 percent of the ice volume was lost, reports the Cryospheric Commission (CC) of the Swiss Academy of Sciences.
Image: M. Huss
Die langjährigen Permafrostmessungen in den Schweizer Alpen zeigen für das hydrologische Jahr 2021 je nach Tiefe ein unterschiedliches Bild: Die kühleren Witterungsbedingungen führten zu einer Abnahme der Temperaturen nahe der Oberfläche sowie der Geschwindigkeit der Blockgletscher. In der Tiefe dagegen setzte sich die in den letzten zwei Jahrzehnten beobachtete Erwärmung fort. Dies berichtet das Schweizer Permafrost-Messnetz PERMOS.
Image: C. Mollaret
The volume of Swiss glaciers decreased by almost 1 percent in 2021, in spite of plentiful snow in winter and a pretty cool summer. Despite considerable precipitation in summer, there was hardly any fresh snow in the Alps. All this shows the impact of climate change, reports the Cryospheric Commission (CC) of the Swiss Academy of Sciences.
Image: M. HussGlaciological Report (Glacier) No. 139/140 about the Swiss Glaciers 2017/18 and 2018/19, under review by the Cryospheric Commission.
Image: GLAMOS