Glaciers host an invisible biodiversity, and it is disappearing along with them. The Sustainable Mountain Alliance welcomes the Baseline Glacier Biodiversity Challenge, led by mountaineer Sophie Lavaud, as an initiative under its Science-to-Advocacy programme.
In early 2027, in Sion, the team will present its 2026 results and 2027 programme at ALPOLE (EPFL Valais Wallis, Sion). Analysis of the first 50 ice samples collected across several continents revealed between 500 and 1,000 different types of microorganisms in each sample. Remarkably, only nine of these were found across all the regions studied.
The event will include a visit to the laboratories, presentations by Sophie Lavaud and the research team, followed by lunch and an opportunity for discussion and exchange.
Looking ahead to 2027, five expeditions will take the team from Africa to Alaska, and from Kyrgyzstan to Nepal. The objective remains the same: collect data today to monitor change tomorrow.
To learn more about the project, click here.