Context of the Workshop

. Context of the Workshop

Snow and ice in mountain regions play key roles for resources such as water and ecosystems, while the presence of permafrost ensures a measure of stability of mountain slopes at high elevations. The evolution of glaciers, snow and permafrost in many mountain regions of the world has been the subject of much attention over the past few decades. Recent reports indicate that the rate of glacier melt has recently accelerated in most mid-latitude mountains. As a result, current glacier extents are out of balance, which implies that even in the unlikely event of a pause or a momentary reversal of atmospheric warming, most glaciers would continue to shrink because of their inherent inertia. At the same time, the penetration of heat into soil and rock strata containing permafrost has reached historically unprecedented proportions, both in terms of temperatures and the depths at which the atmospheric warming signal now reaches, whilst the duration and the extent of the seasonal snow cover has been reported to have shrunk significantly in a number of regions. These profound changes in the mountain cryosphere represent one of the most visible consequences of long-term climate change, and are already influencing other facets of mountain environments. These include the timing and quantity of runoff in snow- and glacier-fed rivers, the release of loose material by permafrost degradation and the reduction of ice cover, with obvious consequences on slope hazard events, and positive feedback effects on local climates. Transformations of mountain environments, and the ecosystem services that these provide, can in turn influence the social and economic fabric of many mountain communities that are already under pressure by other factors such as the globalized economy.

It is in this general context of a rapid and dynamic change in the cryosphere of most mountain regions around the globe, and the likely acceleration of these changes as climate continues to warm into the future, that an international meeting will be convened from March 15–19, 2016, in Riederalp, Switzerland. The key topics that will be covered, and for which contributions are welcome, include:

• Mountain glacier and permafrost response to climate change: from the past until today • Projections of changes in mountain cryosphere in a future “greenhouse climate” • Impacts of changes in the mountain cryosphere on water, ecosystems and hazards • Societal and economic risks of changes in the mountain cryosphere (e.g. water resources, natural hazards, etc.) • Adaptation strategies • Linking Science and Policy to convey the urgency of action in the face of these changes

Additional issues that will be raised in Riederalp include for example:

• Special Issue based on selected papers from the meeting in a leading journal; • Development of an interdisciplinary and international project (EU funding or otherwise) based on recommendations formulated at the meeting.

The venue: Riederalp, Canton of Valais, Switzerland

Riederalp is a car-free resort in the UNESCO World Heritage "Aletsch Glacier" Region. The resort is at equal distance (roughly three hours by train) from Geneva-Cointrin, Zurich-Kloten and Milano-Malpensa airports. Please note that you will need to change trains in Brig and take the small mountain railway as far as Mörel, and then the cable-car to Riederalp. Information on times and connections is available on the Swiss Federal Railroads website. Simply type in your station of origin and “Riederalp” as your destination.

Riederalp is a small summer and winter village in the region of the largest glacier of the European Alps, the Aletsch Glacier. It lies on a south-facing slope with spectacular views to the high summits of the Valais Alps on the other side of the Rhone Valley. It is one of about 14 Swiss resorts that are free of all road traffic. The village is located at close to 2,000 m altitude above sea-level, and end March should still be a good time of the year for skiing (despite global warming!), with ski runs reaching above 2,500 m.

The meeting will take place at the Art Furrer Resort Hotel, where a block of rooms has been set aside for the meeting. All meals, coffee breaks, plenary sessions and possible breakout meetings will take place in the hotel. Based on the 4 nights/4 days of the meeting, prices at the hotel range from CHF 830.-(shared double room) to CHF 970.-(single rooms), which include the room, half-board (breakfast and evening meal), taxes, and all coffee breaks.

Because this will be a full 3-day meeting, with an important final wrap-up session on the morning of Saturday, March 19, participants are expected to arrive in the afternoon or evening of Tuesday, March 15, 2016 and depart after noon on Saturday, March 19, 2016

Hotel reservation

If you have not already done so, you can reserve your accommodation by sending a message with your arrival and departure dates to: [email protected]

Schedule of the meeting

As in past Riederalp events, the meeting format will consist of a set of presentations in the morning, followed by free afternoons for skiing or other outdoor activities, and a couple of hours of discussions (or further presentations) prior to drinks and dinner. The number of participants in previous meetings has ranged from 25 to 40 (the latter being a maximum number, both from the facilities available but especially in terms of the interactivity between participants). An important final wrap-up session will take place on the final morning of the meeting (Saturday, March 19), thereafter enabling participants to leave in time to catch afternoon or evening flights in Geneva, Zurich, or Milan – or stay on for the rest of the week- end.

Fees and registration

A registration fee of CHF 150.- will be charged for the full event, that will help cover the administrative costs related to the event. Cash-only will be accepted upon registration during the meeting.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU IN RIEDERALP IN MARCH 2016!

Prof. Martin Beniston, University of Geneva: [email protected]

Prof. Markus Stoffel, Universities of Geneva and Berne: [email protected]

Dr. Daniel Farinotti, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Birmensdorf, Switzerland; [email protected]