Massive ice blocks breaking off from Argentina’s Perito Moreno glacier have grown larger in recent years, raising concerns among experts about its long-term stability amid signs of retreat.
A sharp cracking noise signals the imminent collapse of a huge ice block- equivalent to a 20-story building—from the Perito Moreno glacier into the vibrant blue waters below. Visitors have long gathered on viewing platforms to witness this dramatic "calving" phenomenon.
However, local guides and glaciologists are increasingly alarmed by the growing size of these ice chunks. A 2024 government report co-authored by Ruiz confirmed that although the glacier was stable for 50 years, since 2015 it has lost mass at its fastest rate in nearly five decades, declining by 0.85 meters per year on average. This reflects a global trend of accelerating glacier shrinkage, according to UNESCO.
Ruiz’s team has recorded a slight rise in local temperatures and reduced snowfall, disrupting the glacier’s balance between accumulation and melting.
Despite these concerns, Perito Moreno remains a stunning destination for visitors who take boat tours to see the calving ice and floating icebergs up close.
Read next
16:08
Latest data show dwindling river flows and worsening drought: these conditions are triggered by warmer-than-average weather and lower precipitation across much of the continent since the beginning of the year, according to the Drought in Europe – April 2025 report, published by the JRC.
22:00
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on world leaders to urgently step up climate efforts ahead of COP30, stressing that the planet faces deepening threats from worsening environmental disasters.
15:30
Climate change is threatening the sustainability of low Earth orbit, with new research from MIT revealing that shrinking atmospheric layers could significantly reduce the number of satellites able to operate safely by the end of the century.
19:17
Almond trees in northeastern Spain started to bloom in late January, nearly three weeks earlier than usual.
18:30
Climate Lawsuit
Stockholm, Sweden, February 19, 2025 – Sweden’s Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that a class action lawsuit, initiated by climate activist Greta Thunberg and 299 other plaintiffs, cannot proceed in its current form.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment