Some 4-6 % of Switzerland's surface is permafrost, a mass of loose earth and stones held together by ice. In normal circumstances this is as solid as rock, but if it melts, the ground will become extremely unstable.

The village of Pontresina in Canton Graubünden has built a huge dam to protect itself against rock and mudslides should the mountain behind it begin to thaw. Pontresina is the first village in the Alps to tackle the problem, but communities throughout the area are under similar threat, and so are the cable cars and chair lifts whose supports are anchored in permafrost rather than in solid rock.

The Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research carries out precise research into snow behaviour. It is also one of the world's leading laboratories for research into tree rings, and is involved in research into climate history and climate reconstruction worldwide.