Aneto glacier in the Spanish Pyrenees will disappear within a decade

The glacier on Aneto, the highest mountain peak in the Spanish Pyrenees, is melting rapidly and will disappear within a decade, France 24 reported on Wednesday. Glaciologists are studying the retreat of the glacier, which is one of the largest in southern Europe, as a direct sign of global warming. [1][2]

Aneto reaches an elevation of 3,404 metres and is located in the Spanish province of Huesca, six kilometres south of the border between France and Spain. The peak forms the southernmost part of the Maladeta massif and is the third-highest mountain in Spain. Its meltwaters flow into the Forau de Aigualluts sinkhole, travelling underground for four kilometres before emerging to feed the Garonne River. [2][4]

Glacial mass changes are recognised as sensitive indicators of climate change because ice accumulation is directly affected by long-term shifts in temperature, precipitation, and cloud cover. The Aneto Glacier suffered significant surface area loss between 1981 and 2022, with studies projecting its potential complete disappearance by as early as 2030. [3][4]

The surrounding Posets-Maladeta area, which features over 100 glacial lakes locally known as ibones alongside traditional U-shaped valleys and cirques, was designated as a natural park in 1994. [4]