Climate change and... permafrost

Building on permafrost: Floating support (Photo: Marcia Phillips / SLF) Permanently frozen ground, or permafrost, is becoming rarer on our planet. Climate change causes it to warm up and ultimately thaw. This makes it a good indicator for detecting climate change. At the same time, alpine hazards increase as the ground thaws, increasing the potential for slope instability. Permafrost in the Alps is warming by around one degree Celsius per decade. This has direct consequences for people and the economy. In high alpine regions with permafrost, rockslides and rock avalanches may well occur more frequently in the future, posing a threat to mountain sports enthusiasts as well as settlements and infrastructure.