Chinese researchers have developed an environmentally friendly nanofilm covering that has reduced glacier melting by more than 80% in treated areas of Dagu Glacier in southwest China’s Sichuan Province. The experiment has also recorded an increase of up to 10 centimetres in surface elevation in some sections over six years.
The research team from Nanjing University has been testing the protective covering on Glacier No. 17, the largest individual glacier in the Dagu Glacier area which covers approximately 0.17 square kilometres. Researchers say substantial ice loss from this glacier could contribute significantly to the retreat of the surrounding glacier region.
The protective material works by reflecting sunlight and insulating the ice surface, reducing the solar radiation reaching the glacier and limiting heat exchange between the ice and the surrounding atmosphere. This helps slow the melting process during warmer months.
Since 2022, the research team has installed nearly 10,000 square metres of nanofilm on Glacier No. 17. The covering is laid before the main summer melting season begins in May and removed before snowfall season arrives in late September.
According to the researchers, the material is biodegradable and does not cause pollution. Some of it can also be recovered and reused after each experiment helping reduce waste and environmental impacts.
The latest approach builds on earlier glacier protection experiments conducted by Chinese scientists. In 2020, a team led by Wang Feiteng of the Chinese Academy of Sciences used white geotextile fabric, drawing on snow storage and ice preservation techniques associated with preparations for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. The method reduced melting by around 70% in treated areas, preserving up to one metre of ice.
Researchers say the new nanofilm represents an improvement in protective covering technology. Similar experiments are being conducted in other glacier affected countries, including Switzerland where scientists have tested materials such as wool blankets to reduce ice loss.
However, scientists caution that protective coverings cannot be deployed easily across all glaciers. Large glaciers in remote and difficult to access locations present logistical challenges, while maintaining and retrieving the materials requires considerable effort. Artificial snowfall which increases a glacier’s ability to reflect sunlight may offer another option in certain locations.
The urgency of such research is underscored by global glacier loss. According to the United Nations the world’s more than 215,000 glaciers lost an average of 273 billion tonnes of ice annually over the 23 year period beginning in 2000. The rate of melting accelerated by 36% between 2012 and 2023 compared with the previous decade.
Researchers emphasise that covering glaciers is only a temporary measure and cannot stop the underlying causes of ice loss. Long term glacier protection will require reducing greenhouse gas emissions lowering energy consumption and limiting global warming.
The experiment demonstrates how targeted technologies may help preserve ice in selected areas but scientists stress that sustained action on climate change remains essential to protect glaciers worldwide.