SWITZERLAND-CLIMATE-ENVIRONMENT-GLACIER

This photograph shows sheep's wool blankets (L and C) alongside a synthetic blanket (R) laid over glacier ice at Glacier 3000, as part of an experiment testing a natural, biodegradable alternative to synthetic coverings to reduce glacier melt, above Les Diablerets, western Switzerland, on September 6, 2026. An experiment on a glacier in western Switzerland has shown promising preliminary results, suggesting that sheep's wool can slow ice melt as effectively as conventional protective tarpaulins. As part of the "Keep it Wool" project, two 100-square-metre blankets made of sheep's wool were laid out on Glacier 3000 in late June 2026. The experiment was conducted by the NGO Summit Foundation in collaboration with the University of Lausanne and the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network (GLAMOS), to assess a natural and biodegradable alternative for protecting glacier ice. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)