KATHMANDU, MAY 14
While top leaders, including Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, have been vehemently preaching for the success of Sagarmatha Sambaad, experts have cautioned not to exclude discussion on the presence of microplastics in Mount Everest's pristine environment (snow and steam water samples).
Microplastics are plastic particles less than five millimetres in size that result from the breakdown of larger plastic debris or are intentionally manufactured for use in products. The pervasive presence of microplastics, including in Asia, as several countries have the highest microplastic intake among 109 countries.
Addressing a workshop on 'Climate adaptation and resilience for South Asia' organised in Kathmandu today, Minister for Foreign Affairs Rana termed the upcoming "Sagarmatha Sambaad" a significant platform for elevating Nepal's presence on the international platform and addressing climate change issues across the globe and Nepal in particular.
However, experts have expressed that as the "Sagarmatha Sambaad has been scheduled to be organised in Kathmandu by a government-concerned agency, the Ministry of Forest and Environment (MoFE), with the theme of "Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity" from May 16 to 18, it is right as well as high time to raise the issues of high mountain plastic pollution strongly, as this has been also largely caused by the developed country's mountaineering expedition teams as they brought, used and left their mountaineering clothes and climbing gear, mostly made of plastics.
According to the Department of Tourism, Government of Nepal's report on Mountaineering in Nepal, Facts and Figures 2024 shows that a total of 659 successful climbers of Sagarmatha (Mt Everest) in the year 2023 were included 391 (59 per cent) Nepali, 139 (21 per cent) from developed countries, and 129 (20 per cent) from other countries.
"The majority of the Nepali summiteers are supporting staff and guides for these international summiteers from developed countries. The majority of the high mountain expedition teams are from developed countries, with their higher carbon footprint responsible for both climate change and high mountain plastic pollution," said Ram Charitra Sah, an environment scientist.
He emphasised that these need to be highlighted during the Sagarmatha Sambaad, and they would not only be held liable for climate change but also for the high mountain plastic polluters and made liable to clean up their mess.
Mount Everest was once a pristine environment and is still largely considered a clean and cool environment. However, due to increased tourism and mountaineering, waste is accumulating on the mountain, with a larger proportion being made of plastic.
Research aimed to identify and characterise the microplastic (MP) pollution near the top of the highest mountain on Earth and could illustrate the implications for the environment and the people living below. Stream water and snow collected from multiple locations leading up to, and including, the Balcony (8440 m.a.s.l.). MPs were detected at 30 MP per litre in snow and 1 MP/litre in stream water, and the majority were fibrous. Therefore, with increased tourism, especially the high mountain expeditions, deposition of MP near Mt Everest is expected to rise. At a pivotal point in the exploration of remote areas, environmental stewardship should focus on technological and other advances towards minimising sources of MP pollution.
"This will not only raise the profile of climate change and its impacts on Nepalese communities and the environment across the globe but also highlight the issues of high mountain plastic pollution and hence also help to raise the concern of high mountain plastic pollution in the upcoming UN Plastic Treaty," he said.
"Our government delegations have not been able to strongly push for the inclusion of the high mountain plastic pollution into the upcoming plastic treaty, an urgent need of today. Thus, the high mountain plastic pollution should also be on the agenda of Sagarmatha Sambaad along with climate change."
