KATHMANDU, NOVMEBER 9

President of Nepal Mountaineering Association Nima Nuru Sherpa today said that Himalayan communities were experiencing the adverse impact of the global climate crisis.

During the "Meet and Greet NMA President" event organised by US Nepal Climbers Association Inc in association with Everest Awakening, Sherpa further said that there was a need to create awareness among downstream communities about the climate crisis so that they could work for adaptation and mitigation at the grassroots level.

Sharing his insights on the country's mountaineering industry in New York, Sherpa said that the government must formulate a concrete policy to streamline tourism-related activities in the country.

"NMA is always ready to join hands with USNCA for the betterment of country's climbing and mountaineering industry," Sherpa said, adding that being part of the UIAA general assembly in Canada, NMA urged the participants for their unified support to Himalayan communities to minimize the impact of global warming."It's a global agenda and global leaders, who are now in Egypt for COP27, should also adhere to call from the Himalayan communities," he said.

NMA is working with the stakeholders and local communities for different cross cutting issues including waste management in the Everest region, according to Sherpa. Glaciers in the Everest region are melting fast, threatening the life of downstream residents, he shared.

USNCA President Passang Nima Sherpa said that NMA and USNCA could jointly launch different activities to enhance the skill of Nepali climbers and support climbing communities in the long run. "Today's discussion is very fruitful to know the ground realities on the impact of the climate crisis in the Himalayan region," he said.

Pema Chhewang Sherpa, chairman of Everest Awakening, said that NMA should lobby with all concerned for the mitigation of climate change impacts in the Everest region. "It's high time we all needed to work in a collaborative way to support local communities for adaptation and to protect the indigenous knowledge system as well as the ecosystem there," he commented.

Navaraj KC, advisor to the New York City Mayor and other members of USNCA as well as climbers were also present in the event. The NMA President will be interacting with the Sherpa community from Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality in New York tomorrow.