As melting glaciers reveal decades of trash, Nepal moves to clean up the Himalayas

Key Points

• The Government of Nepal has approved a five-year strategy to address environmental damage and waste management in the Himalayas.
• Mountaineering waste accumulated over decades is reappearing due to glacier melting accelerated by climate change.
• Previous clean-up campaigns have removed tonnes of waste but failed to address systemic issues prompting the new preventive approach.
• The strategy emphasizes the Polluter Pays Principle, stricter enforcement, mandatory waste return by climbers, use of technology, and local accountability.