This is chapter 3 of the State of Environmental Science in Svalbard (SESS) report 2024 (https://sios-svalbard.org/SESS_Issue7). Glacier surges are cycles of long-lasting slow flow followed by a relatively short phase of fast flow where a glacier undergoes a 10/100-fold increase in velocity. These cycles are driven by internal ice dynamics and are not related to external forcing. In this chapter, we review the benefits and limitations of different approaches for monitoring and detecting glacier surges in Svalbard. Since 2000, satellite monitoring has enabled detection of most large surges, and the launch of the Copernicus Sentinels since 2014 has further enhanced our monitoring capabilities. In the satellite era (1970s onwards), surges have been detected based upon tracking the speed of glaciers over time, elevation changes, and more recently automatically detecting surface changes related to a surge such as increased crevassing. Geophysical sensors are critical for observing subglacial conditions and further work is required to improve deployment strategies on heavily crevassed glaciers. Furthermore, we have compiled a new and updated database of surge-type glaciers in Svalbard and find that 36% of glaciers display surge-type behaviour, rising to 51% when removing glaciers smaller than 1 km2. Only 9% of glaciers have been directly observed to surge. Surges have a significant impact on glacier mass balance, but their impact is variable in time. Therefore, we need to closely monitor when surges occur and how much ice is discharged downglacier and subsequently lost. This has implications for regional mass balance, sea level rise, and the influx of freshwater into the ocean which alters ocean circulation patterns and marine ecology.