The World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) collects standardised observations on changes in mass, volume, area and length of glaciers with time (glacier fluctuations), as well as statistical information on the distribution of perennial surface ice in space (glacier inventories). Such glacier fluctuation and inventory data represent high-priority key indicators of climate change and are monitored as terrestrial variables within global climate-related observing systems directed by WMO, UNESCO, UNEP, FAO and ICSU. They form a basis for hydrological modelling with respect to possible effects of atmospheric warming, and provide fundamental information in glaciology, glacial geomorphology and quaternary geology. Weitere Informationen
Publications / Publikationen
Zemp, M., Hoelzle, M. and Haeberli, W. (2009): Six decades of glacier mass balance observations - a review of the worldwide monitoring network. Annals of Glaciology, 50: p. 101–111.WGMS (2008b): Fluctuations of Glaciers 2000-2005 (Vol. IX). Haeberli, W., Zemp, M., Kääb, A., Paul, F. and Hoelzle, M. (eds.), ICSU (FAGS) / IUGG (IACS) / UNEP / UNESCO / WMO, World Glacier Monitoring Service, Zurich, Switzerland: 266 pp.WGMS (2008a): Global Glacier Changes: facts and figures. Zemp, M., Roer, I., Kääb, A., Hoelzle, M., Paul, F. and Haeberli, W. (eds.), UNEP, World Glacier Monitoring Service, Zurich, Switzerland: 88 pp.WGMS (2007): Glacier Mass Balance Bulletin No. 9 (2004-2005). Haeberli, W., Zemp, M. and Hoelzle, M. (eds.), ICSU (FAGS) / IUGG (IACS) / UNEP / UNESCO / WMO, World Glacier Monitoring Service, Zurich, Switzerland: 100 pp.Haeberli, W. (2006): Integrated perception of glacier changes: a challenge of historical dimensions. In: Knight, P. G. (ed): Glacier Science and Environmental Change. Blackwell, Oxford, 423-430.WGMS (1989): World glacier inventory - Status 1988. Haeberli, W., Bösch, H., Scherler, K., Østrem, G. and Wallén, C. C. (eds.), IAHS (ICSI) / UNEP / UNESCO, World Glacier Monitoring Service, Zurich, Switzerland: 458 pp.Weitere Informationen
Project Leadership and Contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte
Universität Zürich (position pursuing an academic career), SNF (Personen- und Projektförderung), Other Public Sources (e.g. Federal or Cantonal Agencies), Others Funding is mainly through the University of Zurich, the 'Bridging Credit' ofthe Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) and the Federal Office for theEnvironment (FOEN), and GCOS Switzerland; with contributions from SCNAT,ICSU(FAGS), IUGG(IACS), UNEP, UNESCO and WMO.