Université de Fribourg

The freezing level in the tropical Andes, Peru: An indicator for present and future glacier extents: the freezing level in the tropical Andes

Schauwecker, Simone ; Rohrer, Mario ; Huggel, Christian ; Endries, Jason ; Montoya, Nilton ; Neukom, Raphael ; Perry, Baker ; Salzmann, Nadine ; Schwarb, Manfred ; Suarez, Wilson

In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 2017, vol. 122, no. 10, p. 5172–5189

Along with air temperatures, the freezing level height (FLH) has risen over the last decades. The mass balance of tropical glaciers in Peru is highly sensitive to a rise in the FLH, mainly due to a decrease in accumulation and increase of energy for ablation caused by reduced albedo. Knowledge of future changes in the FLH is thus crucial to estimating changes in glacier extents. Since in situ...

Université de Fribourg

A framework for the science contribution in climate adaptation: Experiences from science-policy processes in the Andes

Huggel, Christian ; Scheel, , Marlene ; Albrecht, Franziska ; Andres, Norina ; Calanca, Pierluigi ; Jurt, Christine ; Khabarov, Nikolay ; Mira-Salama, Daniel ; Rohrer, Mario ; Salzmann, Nadine ; Silva, Yamina ; Silvestre, Elizabeth ; Vicuña, Luis ; Zappa, Massimiliano

In: Environmental Science & Policy, 2015, vol. 47, p. 80–94

As significant impacts of climate change are increasingly considered unavoidable, adaptation has become a policy priority. It is generally agreed that science is important for the adaptation process but specific guidance on how and to what degree science should contribute and be embedded in this process is still limited which is at odds with the high demand for science contributions to climate...

Université de Fribourg

The days of plenty might soon be over in glacierized Central Asian catchments

Sorg, Annina ; Huss, Matthias ; Rohrer, Mario ; Stoffel, Markus

In: Environmental Research Letters, 2014, vol. 9, no. 10, p. 104018

Despite the fact that the fast-growing population of Central Asia strongly depends on glacial melt water for fresh water supply, irrigation and hydropower production, the impact of glacier shrinkage on water availability remains poorly understood. With an annual area loss of 0.36 to 0.76%, glaciers are retreating particularly fast in the northern Tien Shan, thus causing concern about future water...

Université de Fribourg

Data and knowledge gaps in glacier, snow and related runoff research – A climate change adaptation perspective

Salzmann, Nadine ; Huggel, Christian ; Rohrer, Mario ; Stoffel, Markus

In: Journal of Hydrology, 2014, vol. 518, Part B, p. 225–234

Glacier and snow cover changes with related impacts on melt runoff can seriously affect human societies which are depending on fresh water from cryospheric sources. Observed trends and projected future evolutions of climatic and cryospheric variables clearly show the need to adapt to these changes. Accordingly, the topics addressed herein have been put on the agendas of many larger funding...