Climate justice group to highlight campaign with climb of Everest

A Nepalese expedition, Climbing for Climate Justice , led by four-time world record climber Sherpa Pemba Dorje, will start climbing Mount Everest tomorrow and plans to reach the summit of the world's highest mountain peak on May 26th.

The expedition, organised by the Save the Himalayas Campaign and Khangri Media in collaboration with Friends of the Earth Nepal/Pro Public, aims to raise awareness of the impacts of global warming and the need for "climate justice" for the world's poorest people.

"Climate change endangers the glaciers, glacial lakes in the Himalayan mountain range and life and property of the thousands of people residing below the lakes," said Prakash Mani Sharma, executive director of Friends of the Earth Nepal/Pro Public.

Melting glaciers
The glaciers and glacial lakes in the Himalayas provide water for about 10 per cent of the world's population, according to Friends of the Earth International. But the glaciers were melting at an increasing rate, with disastrous consequences for communities downstream.

"Climate change disproportionately affects the most vulnerable and marginalised people in Nepal and around the world; the people who are least responsible for the climate crisis," said Sarah-Jayne Clifton, Friends of the Earth International co-coordinator.

The latest expedition, which also marks the 60th anniversary of Everest’s conquest by Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tensing Norgay, includes a man without arms, an 82-year old climber trying to break his own record as the oldest person to climb the 8,848m peak.

Expedition team leader Sherpa Pemba Dorje holds the world record for climbing Everest in the fastest time. The eight climbers include Kapur Shrestha, who plans to climb it on all fours in a polar bear suit to highlight the dangers of climate change for animal species.