One glacier gone, one remains

Slovenia's Triglav Glacier on the nation's highest peak completely melted away by the end of summer. The remaining glacier, Skuta, is located in the Kamnik-Savinje Alps to the north.

Record heat accelerated the melt

A record hot and dry summer in Europe this year aggravated the situation. Scientists say global warming is partly the result of human-induced climate change affecting the Alpine nation.

Andrej Slak witnesses the change

Mountain guide Andrej Slak has been in the mountains for the past thirty five years. The change has been especially noticeable over the past decade or so, he said.

“We are standing here by the last remaining glacier in Slovenia. Just look at what is left of it, barely anything more than a small patch covered in grit and debris. The change is striking.”

Skuta has shrunk dramatically

Geographer Miha Pavsek at the Anton Melik Geographical Institute said Skuta initially had about two point five to three hectares of ice underneath.

Triglav Glacier's eighty year decline

The now-gone Triglav Glacier had covered a little more than fourteen hectares eighty years ago. Five or ten years ago it was down to between half a hectare and one hectare. It then gradually disappeared.

Two factors caused the collapse

Pavsek said the tipping point came from very little snow followed by a very warm summer. These two factors coincided very well this year, he explained.

Water shortages threaten the region

Meltwater from glaciers feeds major rivers including the Drava in Croatia and the Mura from Austria.These rivers feed groundwater where wells and pumps supply drinking water.