Save The Summit – on ecological threats of mountaineering

Source: The post is based on the article “Save The Summit” published in Live Mint on 29^th May 2023.

Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3 -Environmental Degradation

Context: Commercialization of Himalayan expedition has become an ecological threat for the mountain.

The first official ascent of Mt Everest was made by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary 70 years ago. Over the decades, many others, including Junko Tabei (1975, Japan) and Bachendri Pal (1984, India) achieved this feat. However, with the rise of commercial expeditions in the 1990s, these expeditions became a threat to the mountains.

What are threats associated with commercialization of the Himalayan Expedition?

It has resulted in issues like ‘traffic jams’ and ‘garbage mountains’ on the mountains.

Mountaineering has become an ecological threat.

Over-commercialization and overcrowding are resulting in events like Joshimath flood.

What should be done?

Countries need to recalibrate their approach to mountain tourism and climbing to ensure the long-term preservation of the Everest region.