Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli Channel 13: The Iranian nuclear program cannot be destroyed with missiles, even if we spend another year attacking it alongside the Americans.
Over 30 casualties in a suicide bombing that targeted the Mar Elias Church in Damascus, Syria.
Iranian Shura Council recommends the closure of the Hormuz Strait and leaves the decision up to the Iranian National Security Council.
IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad Pakpour: As time passes, the people's solidarity increases, which is a divine blessing
IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad Pakpour: The Iranian Revolution Guard Corps' aerospace operations will not stop
Russian Foreign Ministry: IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi must ensure that an objective report is presented at the special session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Russian Foreign Ministry: The UN Security Council must respond to the US attacks on Iran
Russian Foreign Ministry: We strongly condemn the US strikes on Iran, calling the decision irresponsible
Iranian Red Crescent: Three personnel martyred, 29 injured in Israeli aggression
IRGC: We have identified and monitored the departure points of the US aircraft that carried out the aggression

Global heating is turning white Alps green, study finds

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 3 Jun 2022 13:46
3 Min Read

Satellite data reveal that vegetated areas above the treeline have risen by 77% since 1984.

  • x
  • Global heating is turning white Alps green, study finds.
    Global heating is turning white Alps green, study finds.

The impact of global warming on the Alps is obvious from space, with the snow-white mountains being increasingly inhabited by green flora, a study of high-resolution satellite data revealed.

According to the study, vegetation above the treeline in the Alps has increased by 77% since 1984. While receding glaciers have represented the rate of global warming in the Alpine region, experts have termed increases in plant biomass as an "extremely tremendous" change.

Read more: Climate change effect on Peruvian glaciers taken to German court

Rising temperatures and greater precipitation are extending the growing season, causing plants to colonize new areas and grow denser and taller. Snow cover is thinning, and scientists say that losses of less than 10% of snow cover above the treeline are nevertheless substantial.

“The scale of the change has turned out to be absolutely massive in the Alps,” said Prof Sabine Rumpf, of the University of Basel, and lead author of the paper which was published in Science.

Read next: Deadly heatwave made 30 times worse by global warming

Related News

Methane-munching bacteria; natural solution to curb global heating

Extreme weather devastates UK wildlife in 2022: National Trust

Mountain regions are warming roughly twice as quickly as the worldwide average. While the greening of the Alps may improve carbon sequestration, it is anticipated that this will be balanced by negative consequences such as thawing permafrost, which is a reduced albedo effect (less snow reflecting away sunlight), and habitat loss.

Rumpf explained that more plants at high altitudes could paradoxically threaten many specialist Alpine plants, which are well adapted to harsh conditions but not very competitive. As conditions improve for growth, these are pushed out by more vigorous, common species from lower elevations.

“The unique biodiversity of the Alps is therefore under considerable pressure,” said Rumpf.

Snow cover above the treeline has altered less dramatically than vegetation, falling significantly in nearly 10% of the region (excluding glaciers and places below 1,700 meters). According to the researchers, this is still a concerning trend.

Prof Antoine Guisan, of the University of Lausanne, said, “Previous analyses of satellite data hadn’t identified any such trend. This may be because the resolution of the satellite images was insufficient or because the periods considered were too short.”

Read next: World on track to breach key 1.5°C threshold in next 5 years: Report

Although high-resolution data cannot identify changes in snow depth, ground-based observations have shown depth decreases at low elevations for several years.

The scientists revealed that when bigger portions of the Alps went from white to green, a feedback loop was generated, resulting in a faster rate 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.

Heating also causes glaciers to melt and permafrost to thaw, potentially leading to greater landslides, rockfalls, and mudflows.

  • Global heating
  • Alps
STOP THE HEAT: A Climate Change Coverage

STOP THE HEAT: A Climate Change Coverage

Most Read

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Rescue team work at the site where a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, June 16, 2025 (AP)

Wave 12 of Operation True Promise 3 launched, Sejjil deployed: IRGC

  • Politics
  • 18 Jun 2025
Israeli workers survey the site where a missile launched from Iran struck in Haifa on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)

True Promise 3, wave 20: 40 missiles launched, Kheibar-Shekan in first

  • Politics
  • Today
Iran launches missile barrage to Tel Aviv, casualties reported

True Promise 3, wave 14: Tel Aviv targeted, casualties reported

  • Politics
  • 19 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Iran UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani addresses a United Nations Security Council meeting, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP)
Politics

Iran demands urgent UN Security Council session over US airstrikes

CIA Director John Ratcliffe, testifies before a hearing April 18, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington (AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
US & Canada

Trump aides pushed war on Iran with Mossad-fed intel, ignoring dissent

This photo released on Nov. 5, 2019, by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran shows centrifuge machines in the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in central Iran. (Atomic Energy Organization of Iran via AP, File)
Politics

Iran: Minor damage to nuclear sites after US attack, no radiation

The U.S. Capitol, on June 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP)
Politics

US lawmakers condemn Trump’s strikes on Iran; MAGA base frustrated

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS