Sir Edmund Hillary has called for the inclusion of the Himalayan mountain range on the United Nations’ list of endangered heritage sites because of the threat posed to the glaciers by climate change. Global warming is accelerating the rate of glacial meltdown heightening the risk of flooding glacial lakes like Tilicho and other water bodies in the region, a concern repeatedly voiced by the environmentalists. Fears have also been expressed regarding the future of glaciers in Peru as well as coral reefs in Belize — the latter are seriously affected by fluctuations in water temperatures. Mt Everest and similar heritage sites are not just Nepal’s heritage. It is everyone’s responsibility to preserve and protect natural heritages in their original shape for the benefit of the generations yet unborn.

Climate change constitutes a major global concern. The scale of human interference has thus far surpassed nature’s ability to repair the damage inflicted on the environment. Shrinking polar icecaps are as much an environmental disaster as the fast retreating Himalayan glaciers. The inclusion of Everest National Park on UNESCO World Heritage in Danger List would commit the UN body to assess the risk to the park and evolve corrective measures in conjunction with the government of Nepal. If on the one hand it is Nepal’s privilege to have with it a voice of the likes of Sir Ed, it is also an indication that Nepal herself is less aware of the dangers to its natural heritage. This reflects poorly on Nepal’s ability to identify problems and find their solutions. Luckily, Hillary has, for one, always stood behind Everest’s welfare and the inhabitants in its lower flanks.

While the inclusion in the List alone is no remedy for the larger problem of climate change, it will nevertheless highlight the need to attract global attention to the problem of global warming. Meanwhile, it is important Nepal should leave no stone unturned to build capacity to stall the change. If the peaks have been commercialised beyond their ability to regenerate, a way will have to be found. That will be in the interest of the Nepalis and others around the world. But with it should come the initiative from the industrialised world to cut down on greenhouse gas emission which no doubt is a greater threat to the snow caps than controlled commercialisation at home.