Latest news with #UniversityOfAlaska
The Independent
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Swiss glacier collapse renews focus on risks of climate change as glaciers retreat around the world
The landslide that buried most of a Swiss village this week is focusing renewed attention on the role of global warming in glacier collapses around the world and the increasing dangers. How glaciers collapse — from the Alps and Andes to the Himalayas and Antarctica — can differ, scientists say. But in almost every instance, climate change is playing a role. In Switzerland, the mountainside gave way Wednesday near the village of Blatten, in the southern Lötschental valley, because the rock face above the Birch Glacier had become unstable when mountain permafrost melted, causing debris to fall and cover the glacier in recent years, said Martin Truffer, a physics professor at the University of Alaska who studies how glaciers move. While the debris insulated the glacier and slowed melting, its weight caused the ice to begin moving — which accelerated dramatically a few weeks ago. Authorities ordered the evacuation of about 300 people, as well as all livestock, from the village in recent days, 'when it became clear that there's a whole mountainside that's about to collapse,' said Truffer, who grew up in Switzerland. Glacial lakes pose threat Lakes that form at the base of glaciers as they melt and retreat also sometimes burst, often with catastrophic results. Water can even lift an entire glacier, allowing it to drain, said Truffer, adding that Alaska's capital of Juneau has flooded in recent years because a lake forms every year on a rapidly retreating glacier and eventually bursts. In 2022, an apartment building-sized chunk of the Marmolada glacier in Italy's Dolomite mountains detached during a summer heat wave, sending an avalanche of debris down the popular summer hiking destination, killing 11. A glacier in Tibet's Aru mountain range suddenly collapsed in 2016, killing nine people and their livestock, followed a few months later by the collapse of another glacier. There also have been collapses in Peru, including one in 2006 that caused a mini tsunami; most recently, a glacial lagoon overflowed in April, triggering a landslide that killed two. 'It's amazing sometimes how rapidly they can collapse,' said Lonnie Thompson, a glacier expert at the Ohio State University. 'The instability of these glaciers is a real and growing problem, and there are thousands and thousands of people that are at risk.' Scientists say melting glaciers will raise sea levels for decades, but the loss of inland glaciers also acutely affects those living nearby who rely on them for water for drinking water and agriculture. No way to stop the melting Scientists say greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal have already locked in enough global warming to doom many of the world's glaciers — which already have retreated significantly. For example, glaciers in the Alps have lost 50% of their area since 1950, and the rate at which ice is being lost has been accelerating, with 'projections ... that all the glaciers in the Alps could be gone in this century,' Thompson said. Switzerland, which has the most glaciers of any country in Europe, saw 4% of its total glacier volume disappear in 2023, the second-biggest decline in a single year after a 6% drop in 2022. A 2023 study found that Peru has lost more than half of its glacier surface in the last six decades, and 175 glaciers disappeared due to climate change between 2016 and 2020, mostly due to the increase in the average global temperature. A study published Thursday in Science said that even if global temperatures stabilized at their current level, 40% of the world's glaciers still would be lost. But if warming were limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit ) — the long-term warming limit since the late 1800s called for by the 2015 Paris climate agreement — twice as much glacier ice could be preserved than would be otherwise. Even so, many areas will become ice-free no matter what, Truffer, the University of Alaska expert. 'There's places in Alaska where we've shown that it doesn't take any more global warming,' for them to disappear, Truffer said. 'The reason some ... (still) exist is simply because it takes a certain amount of time for them to melt. But the climate is already such that they're screwed.' ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Associated Press
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Swiss glacier collapse renews focus on risks of climate change as glaciers retreat around the world
The landslide that buried most of a Swiss village this week is focusing renewed attention on the role of global warming in glacier collapses around the world and the increasing dangers. How glaciers collapse — from the Alps and Andes to the Himalayas and Antarctica — can differ, scientists say. But in almost every instance, climate change is playing a role. In Switzerland, the mountainside gave way Wednesday near the village of Blatten, in the southern Lötschental valley, because the rock face above the Birch Glacier had become unstable when mountain permafrost melted, causing debris to fall and cover the glacier in recent years, said Martin Truffer, a physics professor at the University of Alaska who studies how glaciers move. While the debris insulated the glacier and slowed melting, its weight caused the ice to begin moving — which accelerated dramatically a few weeks ago. Authorities ordered the evacuation of about 300 people, as well as all livestock, from the village in recent days, 'when it became clear that there's a whole mountainside that's about to collapse,' said Truffer, who grew up in Switzerland. Glacial lakes pose threat Lakes that form at the base of glaciers as they melt and retreat also sometimes burst, often with catastrophic results. Water can even lift an entire glacier, allowing it to drain, said Truffer, adding that Alaska's capital of Juneau has flooded in recent years because a lake forms every year on a rapidly retreating glacier and eventually bursts. In 2022, an apartment building-sized chunk of the Marmolada glacier in Italy's Dolomite mountains detached during a summer heat wave, sending an avalanche of debris down the popular summer hiking destination, killing 11. A glacier in Tibet's Aru mountain range suddenly collapsed in 2016, killing nine people and their livestock, followed a few months later by the collapse of another glacier. There also have been collapses in Peru, including one in 2006 that caused a mini tsunami; most recently, a glacial lagoon overflowed in April, triggering a landslide that killed two. 'It's amazing sometimes how rapidly they can collapse,' said Lonnie Thompson, a glacier expert at the Ohio State University. 'The instability of these glaciers is a real and growing problem, and there are thousands and thousands of people that are at risk.' Scientists say melting glaciers will raise sea levels for decades, but the loss of inland glaciers also acutely affects those living nearby who rely on them for water for drinking water and agriculture. No way to stop the melting Scientists say greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal have already locked in enough global warming to doom many of the world's glaciers — which already have retreated significantly. For example, glaciers in the Alps have lost 50% of their area since 1950, and the rate at which ice is being lost has been accelerating, with 'projections ... that all the glaciers in the Alps could be gone in this century,' Thompson said. Switzerland, which has the most glaciers of any country in Europe, saw 4% of its total glacier volume disappear in 2023, the second-biggest decline in a single year after a 6% drop in 2022. A 2023 study found that Peru has lost more than half of its glacier surface in the last six decades, and 175 glaciers disappeared due to climate change between 2016 and 2020, mostly due to the increase in the average global temperature. A study published Thursday in Science said that even if global temperatures stabilized at their current level, 40% of the world's glaciers still would be lost. But if warming were limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit ) — the long-term warming limit since the late 1800s called for by the 2015 Paris climate agreement — twice as much glacier ice could be preserved than would be otherwise. Even so, many areas will become ice-free no matter what, Truffer, the University of Alaska expert. 'There's places in Alaska where we've shown that it doesn't take any more global warming,' for them to disappear, Truffer said. 'The reason some ... (still) exist is simply because it takes a certain amount of time for them to melt. But the climate is already such that they're screwed.' ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Most state services will see no new funding in final Alaska state budget draft
The Alaska State Capitol is seen behind a curtain of blooming branches on Saturday, May 17, 2025. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon) There will be no extra money for the University of Alaska's sports teams, its effort to become a top-tier research university or its attempts to hire and keep staff. On Friday, the legislative committee assigned to write the final version of Alaska's state operating budget axed all of those items — and many more — from its in-progress draft. Alaska is facing a severe budget crunch, thanks to low oil prices and reduced federal spending, and lawmakers are eliminating almost every previously considered addition, even before Gov. Mike Dunleavy gets a chance to use his veto pen. Flat funding, combined with inflation, means cuts for most state services. The Permanent Fund dividend isn't immune, either. It's expected to be about $1,000 this year, the lowest figure in state history, once adjusted for inflation. 'It's just a really challenging time, and there's a lot of volatility, and Alaska's heavily dependent upon federal funds,' said Sen. Scott Kawasaki, D-Fairbanks. 'We don't have that huge buffer of oil and gas funds that we once did.' Rep. Will Stapp, R-Fairbanks, appeared resigned to the decisions when asked for comment. 'It is what it is,' he said. Among the university's budget cuts is $150,000 for a staff member to help the university's efforts on diversity, equity and inclusion. The University's Board of Regents voted earlier this year to cancel DEI efforts, including those intended to help Alaska Native students. 'We obviously are cut down to the bone if we're talking about individual, singular positions in the budget, and the board of regents has taken a position that's alternative to what I think the UA community broadly wants to see happen, so it puts our Legislature as an appropriating body in a really difficult position making those kinds of decisions,' said Rep. Ashley Carrick, D-Fairbanks. The budget maneuvering isn't restricted to the University of Alaska. At the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, legislators have cut road maintenance spending and have requested a report on the feasibility of turning the Dalton Highway — Alaska's overland link to the North Slope — into a toll road. A plan to put more Alaska state troopers in Kotzebue to fight child abuse crimes was only partially funded, and $2.3 million for additional trooper overtime was trimmed to $1 million. The conference committee, in charge of combining different budget drafts approved by the state House and Senate, may also cancel plans for additional state and wildlife troopers in Talkeetna. Legislators are asking DPS to begin meeting with the Kenai, Fairbanks and Matanuska-Susitna boroughs about setting up local police in those areas in order to replace troopers. 'It is the intent of the legislature to direct public safety funds to areas of the state that do not have the tax base to provide needed policing services to their communities,' the latest budget draft states. A few budget increases remain — $250,000 more for maintenance at the state's trial courts, $292,000 more for security screening of legislative mail, and additional state funding for Alaska's forestry program as part of an effort to increase logging. For the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, the conference committee approved backstop funding for public schools in case Dunleavy vetoes House Bill 57, which would permanently increase the state's per-student funding formula. The backstop language includes a one-time bonus that's slightly smaller than the increase included within HB 57. That increase is itself lower than the rate of inflation. The committee declined to increase funding for special education, child nutrition, early education, and state libraries, archives and museums. But lawmakers did approve an increase for career and technical education initiatives. They temporarily postponed a decision on items related to foreign teacher recruitment and training, at the request of Sen. James Kaufman, R-Anchorage. Those may be taken up as soon as Sunday. The committee approved $5.5 million for child advocacy centers, which support child victims of physical and sexual abuse. That money was added after the federal government cut funding for the centers. For the state prison system, the budget directs the closure of part of Spring Creek Correctional Center and directs the Alaska Department of Corrections to prepare a report for the Legislature evaluating which prisons would provide the most cost savings if closed. Budget negotiators also rejected increased funding for vocational training programs intended to aid Alaskans who leave the prison system. Several items are still being debated, and the conference committee was scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. Sunday to finalize the compromise budget draft. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
