Slovenia’s last remaining glacier is rapidly retreating after a combination of very low snowfall and an exceptionally warm summer. Scientists warn that the loss of the Skuta Glacier is not only an environmental landmark but also a threat to mountain ecosystems, river flows and groundwater reserves across the region.
The Skuta Glacier, located in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, is now the country’s only surviving glacier. Slovenia’s other glacier, on Mount Triglav, has disappeared after decades of decline. The latest measurements underline the scale of climate change in the Alps and offer another significant development in Europe news.
Skuta is now Slovenia’s last glacier
Mountain guides and researchers say the Skuta Glacier has changed dramatically in recent decades. Much of the remaining ice is hidden beneath rocks and gravel, while only a small patch remains visible on the mountainside.
Andrej Slak, a mountain guide who has observed Slovenia’s glaciers for 35 years, described the transformation as particularly clear during the past decade. Traditional mountain practices have also been affected. Shepherds once used naturally icy hollows to store food, but those permanent pockets of ice are increasingly absent.
The retreat is being documented by researchers at the Anton Melik Geographical Institute, part of the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. The institute has monitored Slovenia’s two glaciers for 80 years.
How much ice has been lost?
Researchers say Skuta once covered approximately 2.5 to three hectares. Its remaining area is now about 1.5 hectares, and the ice has become considerably thinner.
The decline of the Triglav Glacier has been even more severe:
- It covered slightly more than 14 hectares when monitoring began.
- Five to 10 years ago, researchers were measuring between roughly 0.5 and one hectare.
- In recent years, its area had fallen below 0.2 hectares.
- The remaining ice has now disappeared.
A marker on a rock near Skuta records the glacier’s former reach in 1994. The ice has since retreated substantially from that point.
Why is the glacier melting so quickly?
Scientists identify two main factors behind the latest acceleration: unusually low maximum snow depth during winter and high temperatures during summer. When little snow accumulates to protect and replenish glacier ice, a hot summer can cause substantial additional melting.
Researchers say this combination occurred particularly strongly this year. Although gravel covering around 80 to 90 per cent of Skuta’s surface provides some protection from direct sunlight, the ice continues to melt from several sides. Water can also be seen falling inside the cavity beneath the glacier.
That means surface appearance alone may underestimate the changes taking place below the debris. Sections of the glacier are concealed under stones, with narrow openings leading into unstable crevasses.
Glacier loss could affect rivers and groundwater
The disappearance of alpine ice has consequences beyond tourism and scientific monitoring. Glaciers act as natural water stores, releasing meltwater over time and contributing to river systems and groundwater recharge.
Researchers say waters from the region’s glaciers contribute to rivers including the Drava, which flows through Slovenia and Croatia, and the Mura, which originates in Austria. Reduced glacier reserves could eventually mean less water entering these river systems, particularly during warmer and drier periods.
Those rivers also help replenish groundwater sources used by wells and pumps. The effects will not necessarily be immediate or identical in every location, but the long-term loss of stored mountain water adds pressure to regional water management.
A wider Alpine warning
The situation is not confined to Slovenia. Researchers say glaciers below 3,500 metres in Austria are expected to disappear by 2050 according to current forecasts. The pace of change across the Alps has become an important part of European climate news and EU climate policy discussions.
Glacier retreat can also alter habitats that depend on permanent snow and ice. Hikers and local observers say unique ecosystems are disappearing as perennial ice vanishes, adding biodiversity loss to the concerns over water supplies.
Europe’s warming climate
Slovenia’s glacier decline comes after an exceptionally hot and dry summer across Europe. Scientists have said that the intensity of the season would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change linked to fossil-fuel emissions.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service says Europe has warmed around twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, making the continent the world’s fastest-warming region. The consequences include glacier retreat, heatwaves, drought, wildfire risk and changing water availability.
For the European Union, the evidence reinforces the importance of climate adaptation alongside emissions reduction. Protecting water infrastructure, improving drought planning and monitoring vulnerable mountain environments will become increasingly important for member states and neighbouring countries.
What happens next for Skuta?
Researchers will continue measuring the glacier’s area, thickness and snow cover. The remaining ice may persist for some time because parts are protected by debris, but monitoring data show that it is following the trajectory already seen at Triglav.
The loss of Slovenia’s last glacier would be a symbolic milestone, but its practical effects may be more significant. Less stored ice means reduced natural water reserves, while the disappearance of permanent alpine habitat could affect species and ecosystems adapted to cold conditions.
Skuta’s retreat is therefore more than a local environmental story. It is a visible measure of Europe’s rapidly changing climate and a warning that water planning, biodiversity protection and climate adaptation must keep pace with the physical changes already taking place.
Conclusion
Slovenia’s last glacier is shrinking under the combined pressure of low snowfall and rising summer heat. The decline of Skuta, following the disappearance of Triglav Glacier, shows how climate change is reshaping Alpine landscapes and threatening long-term water resources. For Europe, the clearest takeaway is that glacier loss is not only about melting ice: it also affects rivers, groundwater, ecosystems and the resilience of communities downstream.
