From The Article:

Matthias Huss observed significant glacier retreat during his recent visit to the Rhône Glacier in Switzerland, with the ice now a half-hour walk from a parking spot where it was previously a short walk away, illustrating a global trend of fast-melting glaciers due to a warming climate. Glaciers are particularly vulnerable, with Switzerland's losing a quarter of their ice in the last decade and 2022 seeing a dramatic 6% loss in a single year. The Rhône Glacier Example

    Past:
    When Matthias Huss first visited in the past, the ice was "just a short walk" from his parents' parking spot. 

    Present:
    Now, the ice is a half-hour walk from the same spot, and the area where the ice used to be is a lake, according to Gazeta Express. 

Wider Context of Glacier Retreat

    Global Trend:
    The Rhône Glacier's situation mirrors similar stories for glaciers worldwide, which are melting rapidly due to global warming. 

Significant Losses:

    A recent World Meteorological Organization report states that glaciers outside the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets lost 450 billion tonnes of ice in 2024 alone, enough water to fill 180 million Olympic swimming pools. 

Switzerland's glaciers have lost a quarter of their ice in the last ten years, with 2022 seeing a record 6% loss in a single year. 

The Role of Climate Change 

    Professor Ben Marzeion explains that glaciers are struggling in a "climate that is very hostile to them now because of global warming". 

Visual Evidence 

    Satellite images and photos from the ground show how the Rhône Glacier has changed, providing stark visual evidence of the retreat and melting.