Norway's glaciers growing at record pace

AGENCE-FRANCE PRESSE
Sunday, May 24, 1998
"Norway's glaciers growing at record pace"

BERGEN, Norway, May 24 (AFP) - Glaciers in western Norway are growing at record speeds, contrary to the current global trend, following heavy rain and snowfall in the 1980s and 1990s, Norwegian daily Bergens Tidende said on Sunday.

The face of the Briksdal glacier, an off-shoot of the largest glacier in Norway and mainland Europe, Jostedalsbreen, is growing by an average 18 centimeters (7.2 inches) per day.

From 1992 to 1997, the Briksdal grew by 322 meters (1,062 feet). At its current pace, the ice-cap is expected to extend three kilometers (1.86 miles) from its current position within 50 to 60 years, placing it right at the front door of the popular Briksdal tourist cafe.

The growth of Norway's glaciers is unparalleled, as most of the world's glaciers are melting as a result of global warming. In the Alps, glaciers have melted to about half of their size since the 1850s.