Nepalese cabinet meets on Everest to highlight climate change impact on Nepal
04 Dec 2009
Nepalese ministers held a cabinet meeting on Mount Everest this morning to highlight the impact of global warming on the Himalayas, days before the global climate talks open in Copenhagen.
Ministers hope the world's highest cabinet meeting will attract the same attention as a similar event held underwater in the Maldives in October.
According to scientific studies temperatures are rising faster in the Himalayas than in the rest of South Asia, which has caused reduced snowfall and melting of glaciers.
Before the meeting, teams carried medical equipment, oxygen canisters, soldiers and journalists to Kalipatar- a plateau next to the base camp of Mt Everest.
The entire cabinet comprising 21 ministers including the prime minister was then flown by helicopter to Kalipatar for the meeting.
During the half-hour meeting, the ministers- some wearing oxygen masks adopted a resolution on climate and then left by helicopter.
