Mission Earth – what remains of the ice
The project GlaMBIE (Glacier Mass Balance Intercomparison Exercise) explores how satellite observations are used to monitor over 275,000 glaciers worldwide. Livia Piermattei, Professor for Remote Sensing of Environmental Change, talked about this project in the Italian documentary program “PresaDiretta”.
"Glaciers lost 5 % on a global scale from 2000 to 2023», says Livia Piermattei in the episode titled “Missione Terra – Quel che resta dei ghiacci”, aired on October 12, 2025. "Several glaciers in the Alps and globally will not survive until the end of the century."
The documentary covers a wide range of topics, from the European Space Agency's satellites to the mountains of Switzerland to the extent of glacier melt and its consequences for the regions and the climate. It reports on case studies— such as the recent landslide in Blatten, Switzerland, and other events in various regions of France and Italy—that highlight the growing risks associated with glacier retreat. It concludes with insights from an IPCC member who emphasizes the urgent need for global action.
With Livia Piermattei from minute 6:30 on.
