Nepal vows to protect Everest from overcrowding and climate change

Reuters

Nepal is stepping up efforts to protect Mount Everest from the dual threats of climate change and overcrowding, after removing 11 tonnes of garbage and multiple bodies from the mountain this season.

Speaking at the Everest Summiteers Summit in Kathmandu, Tourism Minister Badri Prasad Pandey highlighted the urgent need to balance adventure tourism with environmental preservation and safety. Veterans and environmentalists have raised alarms about overcrowding and waste accumulation on the world’s highest peak. In 2023, a clean-up team removed 11 tonnes of garbage, four bodies, and a skeleton.

Meanwhile, a new debate has emerged around the use of xenon gas to speed up ascents and reduce environmental impact. British guide Lukas Furtenbach claims that xenon therapy allows climbers to summit more quickly, reducing human waste and trash. However, Nepalese authorities are investigating the safety and ethics of the treatment, signaling growing concern over non-traditional climbing methods.

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