The dramatic story of glacial retreat in Chamonix and its global ties to Alaskan melting permafrost. From Mer de Glace to US north Pacific, this video uses satellite images and historic photos to show the disrupted balance of glacier formation and melting ice on both continents. WATCH & READ Climate Change Spotlights: Melting Glaciers Threaten Ski Slopes & US Coasts- Mohsin Insights Nov 16 report, transcript follows[Mohsin Insights on YT from Pakistan since 2019]See the economic and cultural impacts on alpine ski resorts, local businesses, and indigenous traditions, while witnessing the far-reaching effects—from Miami’s flooding to Kivalina’s forced relocations. Learn how shrinking glaciers threaten water supplies, biodiversity, and our collective future, and find out how everyday actions and advocacy can make a difference
TRANSCRIPT
In the European Alps, a silence grows. An unfamiliar quiet that settles over the land where ice once thundered and cracked. It is the silence of retreating ice. A hush that speaks of loss and change. For generations, the people of Chamonix lived alongside the mighty Mer de Glace watching as it filled the valley, a river of ice that shaped their world and their stories. Now they watch it shrink year by year. The glacier's edge creeping higher, the valley opening wider as the ice recedes.
Metal ladders mark the glacier's retreat. Each rung a lost year, a physical record of how far the ice has vanished in a single lifetime. The glacier is a shadow of its former self. A wounded giant clinging to the mountainside. Its power diminished, but its story more urgent than ever.
Thousands of miles away, Alaska's native communities face the same story. Their traditions and daily lives shaped by the rhythms of ice and snow. Their lives are tied to sea ice and glaciers to the frozen world that has sustained them for centuries. But now the ice is thin, fragile, and unreliable.
And the perafrost that once anchored their land is thawing beneath their feet. The land crumbles into the sea. Homes and history lost to the relentless advance of warming waters.
1.15
This is not a distant problem. It's a daily reality for families, for communities, for everyone who depends on the stability of ice. These places, one a bustling European resort, the other a remote Alaskan village, are connected by a warming planet, their fates intertwined by the global climate. The changes we see are symptoms of a global fever, a warning sign that echoes from pole to pole.
The ice that shaped these landscapes for millennia is vanishing at an alarming rate, melting faster than ever before in recorded history. This is happening within a single generation. Grandparents and grandchildren alike witnessing a world transformed before their eyes.
Satellite images show glaciers that once filled valleys now reduced to scattered patches of ice. Their absence a stark reminder of what's been lost.
2.10
Old photographs reveal a world almost unrecognizable today. A landscape where ice once dominated and now only memories remain. Where ice once carved through mountains, there are now barren rocks and new lakes. Freshwater pooling where glaciers once stood guard. We are watching the Earth's great refrigerators switch off and the consequences ripple from the highest peaks to the lowest coasts affecting ecosystems, weather, and lives everywhere.
To truly understand why the ice is disappearing at such an alarming rate, we must look up toward our atmosphere, where the story of the great melt begins. For over a century, human activity, burning fossil fuels, expanding industry, and clearing forests, has thickened the greenhouse blanket around our planet, trapping more and more heat with every passing year. The result is a steadily warming planet with glaciers from the Arctic to the Andes melting at rates never seen before in recorded history.
3.10
Glaciers are like frozen rivers delicately balanced by the snow that falls in winter and the melting that occurs in summer. A natural cycle that has persisted for millennia. But rising global temperatures are breaking this ancient balance. Hotter summers and milder winters mean less replenishing snow and more ice lost each year. Now glaciers lose far more ice than they gain, causing them to retreat rapidly, shrinking before our very eyes.
Glaciologists confirm this dramatic change using ice cores and satellite data, revealing that the current rate of warming is truly unprecedented in the history of our planet. Some glaciers are losing dozens of meters in thickness every single year, a pace that threatens entire landscapes and ecosystems.
As glaciers shrink, they expose dark rock beneath, which absorbs more heat from the sun and accelerates the melting, a dangerous feedback loop that makes the problem worse. While white ice reflects sunlight and helps keep the planet cool, dark rock absorbs it, speeding up the melting process even further. This cycle means the great melt is not just rapid, but is actually accelerating with each year, bringing faster and more dramatic changes.
4.20
The momentum of this melt is now self- sustaining, propelled by changes we set in motion decades ago and growing stronger with every passing season. The science is clear. Our actions are directly responsible for melting the world's ice. And the evidence is visible from space to the ground beneath our feet. The consequences are global and farreaching. From rising sea levels and flooded coastlines to disrupted weather patterns and threatened water supplies, the great melt is a warning we can no longer afford to ignore. It is a call to action for every one of us. The time to act is now before the great melt becomes irreversible and the world we know is changed forever.
5.00
The Alps have long been a playground for millions, drawing visitors from around the world to their snowy peaks and bustling resorts each winter. But this iconic winter wonderland is slowly fading. Its future growing more uncertain with every passing year. Rising temperatures are shortening the snow season, pushing the freezing line ever higher up the mountain sides and leaving less time for winter sports. Resorts that once thrived for 6 months now struggle to stay open for even three as reliable snowfall becomes a thing of the past.
Snow cannons now hum day and night, working overtime to create artificial snow, an expensive process that consumes vast amounts of water and energy. Yet, as winters grow warmer, even these machines can't keep up, and the slopes remain patchy and unreliable.
The economic impact is severe. Hotels, ski schools, and shops that depend on winter tourists now face empty rooms and shuttered doors. Some resorts are pivoting to summer activities like mountain biking and hiking. But the revenue from these warmer months doesn't compare to the winter boom. The uncertainty makes it hard for businesses and families to plan for the future, casting a shadow over entire communities.
The mountains themselves are changing. Artificial snow is icy and hard, and the once pristine landscape is now scarred by narrow white ribbons winding through brown earth. Glacial retreat is accelerating, increasing hazards like rockfalls and landslides that threaten both trails and villages, putting lives and livelihoods at risk. The very character of the Alps is shifting and the fabric of Alpine society is being stretched thin as traditions and ways of life are challenged.
6.45
The loss is more than economic. It's cultural and environmental as centuries old traditions and a unique ecosystem are put in jeopardy. The winter wonderland that once defined the Alps is disappearing before our eyes, changing faster than many ever imagined. The question now is what will remain and how will the people and landscapes of the Alps adapt to this new reality?
Speak to a ski instructor in Verbier and you'll hear stories of vanished glaciers and unpredictable snow. Instructors adapt, focusing on safety and changing conditions, but worry about the future of their profession. Hotel owners at lower altitudes face lastminute bookings and soaring costs for artificial snow.
Mountain guides see roots become unsafe as creasses open and perafrost thaws. For them, it's about safety and the loss of mountaineering heritage.
Even young snowboarders feel the uncertainty, sharing stories of short seasons and grassy slopes. Awareness is growing. A call for action to protect the sports and landscapes they love. Their voices are becoming a force for change.
7.50
As glaciers and ice sheets melt, trillions of tons of water pour into the oceans, raising sea levels. In cities like Miami, sunny day flooding is now routine. Sea water invades streets and buildings even on clear days. Billions are spent on seaw walls and pumps, but the sea keeps rising. In Charleston and Norfolk, historic districts and naval bases are at risk with land sinking and insurance rates soaring.
Salt water corrods infrastructure and threatens homes. Natural defenses, salt marshes, mangroves, barrier islands are drowning, leaving coasts exposed. As these habitats vanish, communities become more vulnerable to storms which are growing more intense. The rising tide is relentless, reshaping lives and landscapes. The question is not if, but how much we can protect.
8.42
In Alaska, melting glaciers and thawing perafrost are reshaping lives overnight. Villages like Kivalina, once shielded by sea ice, now face powerful storms and eroding land. Thawing perafrost destabilizes homes, roads, and pipelines. Entire communities are forced to relocate.
Indigenous traditions are threatened as hunting and fishing become dangerous or impossible. The loss is cultural as well as physical. Ancestral lands and knowledge are at risk.
Glaciers once supplied sediment to build coastal lands. Now their retreat and meltwater worsen local sea level rise. Alaska's people face climate change from all sides. Warming ocean, thawing ground, melting mountains.
Their story is urgent, a warning for us all.
The changes are immediate, the impacts profound. The world is watching, but action is needed. Glaciers are more than scenery. They're the world's water towers. Their meltwater feeds rivers, supports agriculture, and powers homes for millions. As glaciers shrink, summer water supplies dwindle, threatening communities downstream.
Alpine ecosystems, finely tuned to cold, are pushed higher until there's nowhere left to go. species face extinction. Warmer rivers endanger fish like trout and salmon, disrupting entire food webs. On the coasts, rising seas erase salt marshes and mangroves. Nurseries for fish and birds, vital for fishing industries.
10.03
The loss of these habitats means lost biodiversity and economic hardship. Our world is interconnected. Emissions in one place melt glaciers in another, flooding homes continents away. The stories from mountains and coasts are two sides of the same crisis. Ignoring these warnings is not an option. The balance is delicate and it's tipping fast. Our choices now will decide the future.
The scale of the problem is daunting, but we are not powerless. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the most important step. Simple actions using less electricity, choosing efficient appliances, walking or cycling add up. Responsible tourism supports sustainable businesses and protects fragile places.
Our voices matter. Support leaders and policies prioritizing climate action, renewable energy, and habitat restoration. Join environmental organizations and push for bold change. Education empowers us to have meaningful conversations and inspire others.
Even if we don't live near glaciers or coasts, our actions matter. Understanding the connection between our choices and melting ice makes us part of the solution. Every change adds to a growing movement for our shared home.
11.14
The message from melting ice is not despair. It's a call to action. Nature is resilient and so are we. We have the knowledge and technology. What we need is the will. Communities are adapting, innovating, and working together for solutions.
Imagine cities powered by clean energy, efficient transport, and protected natural spaces. This future is within reach if we choose it. Young people are leading the way, demanding change and reminding us of our responsibility. We owe it to future generations to leave a healthy, stable world. The Earth is our only home, its systems beautifully connected. By coming together, we can protect our ice, coasts, and future. The next chapter is ours to write.
END OF TRANSCRIPT
[KE: Everything climate scientists predicted about global warming/ climate change since the 1970s is coming true, only faster]
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