Press/Media: nepalnews.com
Date: February 12, 2008
Topic: Everest expedition for raising awareness on climate change
Programme: Directorate

Everest expedition for raising awareness on climate change

To draw global attention to the issues of climate change and melting glaciers in the Himalayas and also raise awareness about it, an Eco Everest Expedition 2008 is set to climb Mount Everest this spring.

Pradeep Mool and Madhav Karki from ICIMOD and climber Dawa Steven Sherpa (from left to right) in a press conference highlighting the Eco Everest Expedition 2008, which will focus on climate change in the Himalayas, Monday, Feb 11 08. nepalnews.com/rh Dawa Steven Sherpa of Asian Trekking will lead the expedition, which will be in partnership with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), it was informed at the press conference organized in the capital Monday.

'I fulfilled my dream and stood on the summit of Mount Everest in May 2007. The world was at my feet. But I also noticed strange things happening," Dawa said explaining to journalist at the press conference how the idea for this expedition came up, "The solid ice of the Khumbu icefall had melted into slush and, on the way down, was crackling and crumbling beneath my feet. Fellow Sherpas on the mountain were running for their lives and asking me to get down as quickly as possible. I did, and on that same day the entire ice field simply collapsed. I was shocked, and wanted to understand why this had happened. After returning to Kathmandu I began my quest for answers. Most of my findings pointed towards the effects of global warming."

He said, therefore, Eco Everest Expedition 2008 will be a platform to draw maximum global attention to the issues of climate change and melting glaciers in the Himalayas.

"It will specifically highlight the threats glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) pose to the local communities and environment in the region. It will also raise awareness on early warning systems and on conserving the fragile mountain ecosystem," he added.
As the main partner for the Eco Everest Expedition 2008, ICIMOD will provide technical support and carry out scientific research in the Khumbu region, focusing on the Imja and Dig Tsho glacial lakes.

Accompanying the expedition is Ken Noguchi, a Japanese alpinist and conservationist who acts as senior advisor to Eco Everest. The expedition is also supported and endorsed by the pioneering US mountaineer Conrad Anker.

An 18-member team involving eight foreigners and 10 Sherpas will start the expedition on April 17.

nepalnews.com at Feb 12 08