Time-lapse footage shows the dramatic retreat of a glacier in Iceland

Researchers captured footage of the Breiðamerkurjökull as it melted over the course of six weeks.

Dramatic time-lapse footage filmed over a six-week period, shows the rapid melting of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier in Iceland.

The footage was captured by Dundee University’s Kieran Baxter, a leading expert in the visual communication of glacial retreat.

The footage shows the startling rate at which centuries-old ice is melting, highlighting the impact that climate change is having on some of the planet’s most fragile and beautiful landscapes.

In an interview with Reuters, Baxter said it was undeniable that “manmade causes” are driving the change.

The Breiðamerkurjökull glacier is located in Vatnajökull National Park, about 380 kilometers (236 miles) from the capital Reykjavik.

Iceland’s glaciers are coming under increasing threat from climbing temperatures. Since 1989, Vatnajökull ice cap, one of the largest in Europe, has lost 150–200 cubic kilometers of ice and its area has been reduced by more than 400 square kilometers  according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office.

Production by Eleanor Whalley, Marrisa Davison and Jacqueline Clyne.