Nepal Unveils Five-Year Strategy To Keep Himalayas Clean

KATHMANDU, Dec 19 (Bernama-dpa) -- Nepal has unveiled a five-year strategy to keep the Himalayas clean, allowing authorities for the first time to limit the number of climbers on major peaks based on mountain conditions and available infrastructure, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.

The plan, formally titled Action Plan to Keep Mountains Clean (2025-2029), aims to curb growing waste and overcrowding, although concrete rules and criteria for implementing limits have yet to be defined.

No formal cap has previously been set on peaks including Mount Everest, not even during the COVID-19 years when social distancing concerns led to calls for restrictions and many expeditions were cancelled mid-climb. 

How limits will be enforced remains unclear, particularly as Everest permits from Nepal have increased in recent years while China's climbing policies on its side of the mountain have been inconsistent. 

In spring 2025, Nepal issued 468 permits, excluding guides who do not need permits, while only four permits were issued for the autumn season.

Nepal, home to thousands of peaks including eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, has long struggled with waste left by climbers. 

Discarded clothing, boots, oxygen cylinders, plastics, disposable medical supplies, food cans, aluminium ladders, ropes, human waste and the bodies of deceased climbers have accumulated at high camps and in the death zone.

Individual clean-up campaigns by the Nepalese authorities, the army and organisations have been taking place since the early 2000s. However, permanent solutions remain elusive.

The new strategy provides for better implementation of existing rules to control the amount of waste.

Since 2011, climbers have had to bring at least eight kilogrammes of waste per person with them on their way back down.

--BERNAMA-dpa