Nepali Cabinet Meets at Everest Base Camp
A number of the Who Cares? Scotland trekkers have been in touch with the blog to report seeing news reports and documentaries this week which have highlighted the problem of melting glaciers in the Himalaya. Nepali government ministers held a meeting near Everest Base Camp to publicise the problems in advance of the world climate change summit in Copenhagen next week.
Our recent visit to the region showed us how important the Marsayandi river system is to Nepal’s economy, providing water for life in so many ways, including irrigation of the rice paddies and hydro-electric power. While glacier melt in the summer feeds the rivers, reduced snowfall would have major consequences for the countries which depend on water from the Himalaya.
The glaciers of Annapurna IV, Annapurna II and Lamjung Himal
You can read a story about the Nepali cabinet meeting on the BBC website here. The BBC also provides a good account of the debate amongst scientists in relation to whether the glaciers really are melting – read it here.
The dam on the Marsayandi river downstream from Phalliya Sangu supplies electricity to Kathmandu
