Everest Kala Patthar Climate Meet concludes—Historic Everest Declaration

The cabinet meeting at Kala Patthar plateau near the base camp of world´s highest peak Mt. Everest has concluded successfully. The meeting done in order to draw international attention on effects of climate change on the Himalayas at an altitude of 5,242 meters surrounded by the world’s highest peaks and glaciers has adopted a 10-point Everest Declaration.

The Everest-foot cabinet met on climate change attended by 23 ministers along with Prime Minister of Nepal, Madhav Kumar Nepal began at 8:30 on Friday but was lengthened to about one hour from expected 20 minutes because the Himalayan weather was also cooperating with the Nepal’s effort to address the whole world on effect of climate change and global warming.

“This is a very important and historic meeting,” Prime Minister Nepal said enthusiastically. The meeting comes ahead of the UN climate summit in Denmark next week.

“We want to draw the attention of the world to the plight of the Himalayas and its people through this meeting. We have issued Mt. Everest Declaration about the climate change from the base camp of Mt Everest,” Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal announced in the press conference at Syangboche after the meeting. “The Himalayas are important not only for the people of Nepal but for 1.3 billion people who depend on waters from the mountains for their livelihoods,” said Nepal’s Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal at the cabinet meeting broadcast live by state-owned Nepal Television. “But the world-wide climate change patterns of recent years has started to effect adversely to the socio-economic development of the people living in this region and biological diversity of the Himalayan zone, ” he said, adding that as a result of which are amplifying floods, landslide, glacier explosion, drought and other natural calamities. He said, “The adverse effects of climate change is not only being seen in the areas near to Himalayan region, but in the whole of South Asia including the ecology of the whole world.” “Due to climate change and its effects, the whole human civilization would continuously face challenges for their existence,” PM Nepal claimed. He added that he would insist on the developed countries to look at the impact of the climate change on the poor countries while attending the Climate Change summit in Copenhagen.

Via the Everest Declaration, the government has expressed its commitment to increase the conservation areas in the country from 20 percent to 25 percent along with 40 percent jungle area. By the way, the cabinet declared that Api-Nampa (1,903 sq km, Darchula district) and Gauri-Shankhar Conservation Area (2,035 sq km in Ramechhap and Dolakha districts) would be added to the total conservation area in the country. The declaration centers in raising awareness on climate change issues and hunting for international dedication and support to address the issues. At the beginning of the cabinet meeting, PM Nepal briefed ministers about the motive of the meeting. “Climate change is not only issue of the mountainous nations or nations at the sea level, it´s a common issue of all,” he said. “To save the earth, the biggest sacrifice is needed from the nations producing large amount of carbon,” he added.

The declaration stated that a pre-information mechanism would be developed in order to address the problem in the Himalayas in timely fashion, increase flexibility and adopt capacity-building measures. Similarly, the cabinet meet also approved the government´s model paper on the conservation of Himalayas to be presented in the Copenhagen Summit scheduled for next week on the behalf of Nepal. The meeting also passed the proposal for providing six percent of the developed countries´ GDP to the developing countries like Nepal affected by climate change caused by carbon emissions. The ministers flew to Lukla, the nearest airstrip in the Everest region, a day earlier to acclimatize to the unusual atmosphere of Kala Patthar. Microphones were used during the met because it becomes difficult to hear while the wind blows even over a short distance. Along with oxygen masks and warm jackets the ministers were wearing blue sashes that said “Save the Himalayas. “This cabinet meeting will make a wave all the way down to countries by the sea. It is not only us, but also nature that will take our message to the world,” PM said.