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A sherpa, who has climbed Mount Everest a record 21 times, will trek hundreds of miles, along some of the world’s highest mountains, to highlight the impact of climate change on the Himalayas, according to organisers of the event.
Apa Sherpa, 52, is being accompanied by two-time Everest climber Dawa Steven Sherpa on the gruelling 1,700-km (1,062 mile), 120-day walk. The route passes along the length of Nepal’s Himalayas, going through the shadow of eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains, including the 8, 850 metre (29,035 feet) Mount Everest, on the Great Himalaya Trail. "During the walk, we will see the challenges faced by the local people in dealing with the effects of climate change on the remote and poor foothills of Himalayas," says Apa about the trek, which started on January 15. Apa, a native of Nepal who lives in Draper, Salt Lake, USA, says he had written to global celebrities like UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, former US Vice-President Al Gore and Britain’s Prince Harry inviting them to join him, along some parts of his journey, saying it would "make the world take notice of our dire situation". However, he said, none of them had confirmed participation. The two men, Apa and Dawa Steven feel strongly about the cause and want to tell the world what climate change is doing to the Himalayan region. According to Apa, the trek through the remote parts of the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal will allow them to share important information with villagers. "They are living there so far away from everyone and out of touch of the world and not knowing the dangers," adds Apa. "It is important we help them understand the dangers." Apa experienced the change of this climate firsthand, when his own remote village of Thame in Nepal was flooded after a glacial dam broke. He fears similar catastrophes across the Himalayas as global climate change continues. The trek, being called the Climate Smart Celebrity Trek, is expected to promote trekking as a climate-friendly tourism activity that could bring money to poor villagers. Many celebrities, dignitaries and media may join the trek in certain segments along the way to help promote this green cause. The two sherpas will be joined during their four-month endeavour by Saurav Dhakal, identified as a British Council International Climate Champion, and Samir Jung Thapa, a photographer. In 2009, Apa collected a piece of rock from Mount Everest, which was presented to U S President Barack Obama to highlight the impact of climate change on the Himalayas. "The international community is now asking us how to help Nepal cope with the problem and we have no answers," adds Apa. "During this trek we will try to find out how the mountain people are adapting and what they need to fight the impact of climate change," he says. Environmental activists say the Himalayan glaciers, the source of several Asian rivers, are shrinking fast due to global warming threatening the lives of 1.3 billion people living downstream in their basins. Experts say mountainous Nepal is vulnerable to climate change despite being responsible for only 0.025 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, among the lowest in the world. Global temperatures increased by an average of 0.74º C over the past 100 years — with warming in the Himalayas being faster, according to the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). — Reuters
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