How climate change is changing Mount Everest

Mount Everest is Earth's highest mountain above sea level. It located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas in border of Nepal and china. Researchers have shown that climate changing is affecting Mt. Everest. And Scientists have already warned that condition may not remain same as long as climate change effects are increasing in the way like now. Not only Everest many glaciers on mountains are melting due to climate change leaving effect on mountain ecosystem. According to official of Nepal mountaineering association (NMA) snow line are shifting upwards with animal and plant life are expanding upwards to higher altitude. It has also affected lives of many mountainous animals.

The cracks on ice are getting deeper and more dangerous making mountain climbing deeper and more dangerous. This means that there is high change of icefalls making journey potentially dangerous for tourist and climbers. The surrounding lakes, peoples living there in mountain region are at high risk. Not only people there these glaciers contain 40% of world fresh water, contribute to 9 large rivers and provide one- six of world drinking water. Around 40 thousand sherpas live at base of mountains. 200 of the 9000 glacial lakes in Himalaya are facing possible glacial outburst floods. A similar flood 30 years back created a torrent of 10 million cubic meters of water. Villages including power stations were cleaned. Peter hillay compared effect of glacial outburst flood to an atomic bomb on comparison to the effect it is bringing to lives of people. Studies suggest that if current pattern of climate change continues Himalayas could melt within next 50 years leaving Mount Everest as an enormous peak with rock with limited areas of ice. The study, published in early 2007 confirmed that global warming is adversely affecting Mount Everest. Additionally, many Tibetan people, Sherpas, guides and frequent visitors to the area relate stories of glaciers and ice features such as serac forests - huge columns of ice formed by glaciers - disappearing or retreating to higher altitudes. Trash, especially from abandoned equipment like oxygen cylinders, is a huge problem at Mount Everest. We all must work on climate change not let it create much more problem in coming days.

Thank you.