“Since 1992, I have been a ranger in Hohe Tauern National Park in Carinthia, and I have had to witness how the glacier world is changing. Although glacier measurements have long confirmed it, the glacier retreat at the Pasterze is significantly stronger and faster than expected, causing numerous problems—such as mass movements, access routes to mountain huts (some of which have already been dismantled), and costly path stabilization measures. Regarding biodiversity and water supply—securing drinking water resources—I look to the future of the Glockner region with concern. Every week, I guide visitors through the glacier areas to help them understand these adverse changes and raise awareness about climate change.”
– Konrad Mariacher (2025)
AUSTRIA’S GLACIERS ARE RETREATING RAPIDLY
The glaciers in Austria continue to melt on a large scale. In the glacier year 2023/24, almost all monitored glaciers shortened—on average by 24.1 meters. This was due to an exceptionally warm year, 1.9 °C above the norm, and low precipitation. Glaciers in the Ötztal Alps were particularly affected. The Sexegertenferner lost 227.5 meters in length, the Taschachferner 176 meters, and the Gepatschferner 104 meters. These are some of the largest losses in the long measurement history, which has been ongoing for 134 years. The length of the Pasterze—the largest glacier in Austria—has decreased by more than three kilometers between 1856 and 2023.²