Nepal seeks UIAA recognition for six more 8,000-metre peaks
Summary
Nepal has formally asked the UIAA to recognise six more Himalayan summits as separate 8,000-metre peaks, a move that could raise the country’s total from eight to 14. The proposal was presented in Kathmandu during the 2026 UIAA General Assembly, alongside calls for greater international attention to climate change in the Himalayas.
Key Points
- The Nepal Mountaineering Association has asked the UIAA to recognise six additional Himalayan summits as separate mountains above 8,000 metres.
- The proposed peaks include four in the Kanchenjunga massif and two in the Lhotse range, backed by an expert study on their distinct identities and routes.
- NMA President Phur Gelje Sherpa raised the issue at the 2026 UIAA General Assembly in Kathmandu, where Minister Khadak Raj Poudel called the proposal historic.
- Climate change also dominated the assembly, with UIAA President Peter Muir warning of the Himalayas' growing vulnerability.
