NATURE . WILDLIFE

On the Precipice: The Alps

50' (ENG, GER)

The Alps are Europe's greatest mountain range, a popular destination for visitors from all over the world and home to some of the continent's most striking flora and fauna.

However, as climate change causes temperatures to rise, the mountains themselves are heating up. Alpine safety organizations have warned about the increasing danger for tourists for years: ice bridges are melting, fissures and crevices are expanding and erosion and the thawing of permafrost are causing an increasing number of rockslides and entire mountain peaks are now disappearing. The consequences are having a dramatic impact that is felt far beyond the Alps themselves.