China News Network, Beijing, August 22 The Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology said through social media on August 21 that from August 20 to 21, Switzerland's zero isotherm rose to 5298 meters, breaking the 5184 meters marked on July 25 last year, and setting a new record since 1954.
Daniel Farinotti, a glaciologist at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland, told the Associated Press that when the zero isotherm rises above 5000 meters above sea level, all glaciers in the Alps will face the risk of melting. Farinotti said that such events are rare and harmful to glaciers. "In the long run, glaciers will disappear irreversibly".
According to the Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, the zero isotherm affects vegetation development, snow line height and water cycle, thus exerting a great impact on the living space of human beings, animals and plants. Since Switzerland has meteorological records, the zero isotherm has risen by 200m to 700m. Since the 1970s, the zero isotherm has accelerated, mainly due to man-made climate warming. (End)
