Mountaineer’s climate change plea from the top of Everest.

From Mount Everest’s summit, seasoned mountaineer Apa Sherpa has today (21st May, 2009) sent out an urgent global plea for people to take action on climate change.

Reaching the peak on his 19th ascent of Earth’s highest mountain, Mr. Sherpa placed a WWF banner saying “Stop Climate Change, Let the Himaalayas Live!”

The expedition, a part of the Climate for Life campaign aiming to raise awareness on climate change impacts in the Himalayas, is a reminder to politicians of their responsibility towards preserving the mountain range as a global heritage.

It is also is a call to strike a global deal to fight climate change at the Copenhagen Climate Summit this December.

Mr Sherpa himself is all too familiar with the impacts of climate change on his native Nepal, having been a victim to its disastrous consequences – a glacial lake burst its banks and washed away half his property and land in 1985.

It has been reported that these glacial lake bursts are one of the most visible impacts of climate change in the area, an issue Mr. Sherpa wants to highlight through the expedition.

The climb was led by two-time Everest summiteer Dawa Steven Sherpa (no relation), a passionate supporter of climate change issues.

Six Americans were on the team.

At the summit, Apa also installed a sacred vase personally blessed by the Venerable Rinpoche of Tengboche (Buddhist spiritual leader), containing 400 sacred ingredients intended to restore the sanctity of the Himalayan sacred valleys against the negative impacts of rapid environmental changes.

“Apa and Dawa have achieved greatness while carrying the most important message of our time to the top of the world,” said Jon Miceler, Director of WWF’s Eastern Himalayas Program.

“Now it’s up to the rest of us to save the Himalayas and all of Earth’s ecosystems by pushing for a strong international agreement to tackle climate change.

"The well being of Himalayas is crucial for economic development of Nepal," said Mr. Ganesh Sah, Nepal's Minister for Environment, Science and Technology.

"It's only by coming together that we can deliver this message emphatically to the world.

“We congratulate Apa, Dawa and the entire Eco-Everest Expedition, who achieved their mission despite the tragic loss of a team member, Lhakpa Nuru Sherpa, in an avalanche on May 6,” Miceler said.
WWF Nepal will be raising awareness for the Climate for Life campaign with multiple events throughout 2009 highlighting the issues at stake