This image, taken at the end of summer in 2016, shows how Franz Josef Glacier has retreated 1.5km since 2011. Photo / Brian Anderson

Svien Tveitdal: Warming temperatures causing South Island tourist attractions to melt away

Author: Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2016, 7:24AM

Rising global temperatures could lead to a freeze on visitors to some of New Zealand's tourist attractions.

The latest measurements for Fox Glacier and Franz Josef show a dramatic loss of ice.

Fox Glacier has retreated 650 metres, while Franz Josef is back 1.5 kilometres on measurements taken in the 2010-2011 year.

PHOTOS: Iconic South Island glaciers retreating

Director of Climate 2020 Svien Tveitdal told Andrew Dickens it's exactly what can be expected, given the warm temperatures in the first six months of this year.

"We have experienced a global warming on 1.3 centigrades over pre-industrial times, and that increase this year has been extraordinary and also pushed by El Niño.

"Emissions from all over the world are increasing, and we haven't managed to turn this around, so what will happen, what you see in New Zealand, and what you will happen in years to come is absolutely predictable, and it will continue and it will be worse."

Tveitdal said 90 percent of glaciers around the world are melting.

LISTEN ABOVE: Director of Climate 2020 Svien Tveitdal speaks with Andrew Dickens