Climate change major challenge for Himalayas: Nepal President

Sustainable tourism, responsible mountaineering and conservation of the Himalayan environment are the defining challenges of the day, Nepal’s President Ramchandra Paudel said on Wednesday.  Addressing the ‘Everest Summiteers Summit - 2026’ organised in Kathmandu, Paudel said Mount Everest was not only a geographical identity of Nepal but also the pride, prestige and an invaluable natural heritage of the country. “The country’s economy has benefitted from the tourism sector through the conservation, promotion, publicity and balanced use of these assets,” he said.

Paudel stated that global warming, the impacts of climate change and the accumulation of garbage in mountaineering areas have emerged as major challenges of the modern world.

“Addressing these issues and conserving the environment and biodiversity in the Everest region, while making mountaineering safe, sustainable and technology-friendly, requires additional efforts and cooperation from all sides,” he said. He pointed out that conservation, promotion and balanced utilisation of Himalayan resources directly support Nepal’s tourism industry and broader economic development.

Mukunda Prasad Niraula, secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, also expressed concerns about climate change and its impact on Mount Everest and other mountains of Nepal.