The impact of global heating on the Alps is visible from space, with the snow-white mountains increasingly colonised by green plants, according to a study of high-resolution satellite data. Vegetated areas above the treeline in the Alps have increased by 77% since 1984, the study says. Snow cover is decreasing, and the scientists said losses of less than 10% of snow cover above the treeline were still significant. The scientists said that as larger areas of the Alps turned from white to green, a feedback loop was created that led to an increased pace of heating and snow melt. “Greener mountains reflect less sunlight and therefore lead to further warming – and, in turn, to further shrinkage of reflective snow cover,” Rumpf said of the albedo effect.

Source: The Guardian June 03, 2022 08:20 UTC