TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Melting ice sees Sweden's highest peak lose crown after 139 years

  (Reuters)
Stockholm, Sweden
Wed, September 11, 2019 Published on Sep. 10, 2019 Published on 2019-09-10T14:44:45+07:00

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
The south peak of Kebnekaise, Sweden's highest peak for well over a century, has been demoted to second place after decades of rising temperatures melted more then a third of the mountain's glacier. The south peak of Kebnekaise, Sweden's highest peak for well over a century, has been demoted to second place after decades of rising temperatures melted more then a third of the mountain's glacier. (Shutterstock/lecsposure)

T

he south peak of Kebnekaise, Sweden's highest peak for well over a century, has been demoted to second place after decades of rising temperatures melted more then a third of the mountain's glacier.

Since 1880, when measurements started, Swedish children have been taught that the southern peak is the highest peak in Sweden but this year the melting of the glacier covering it means the ice-free northern peak is higher for the first time.

"It's a powerful symbol of change. This little peak is an icon in Sweden," said Ninis Rosqvist, a geography professor at Stockholm University. "But it's not a surprise. When the temperature rises, ice melts, but this is something that really hits home for a lot of people," she said.

Read also: High above Greenland glaciers, NASA looks into melting ocean ice

In the last 50 years, the southern peak has lost 24 meters of its roughly 60 meters of ice cap. It now stands at 2,095.6 meters compared with the 2,096.8 meters of the northern peak.

Sweden has experienced unusually hot summers in the last 10 years and 2018 was the warmest ever on record.

Last month Iceland unveiled a plaque to its Okjokull ice sheet, the first of the country's hundreds of glaciers to melt away due to climate change.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.