Kathmandu, Dec 17 : Amid growing concerns over decades of waste accumulation on its high mountains, including Mount Everest, the Nepali government has unveiled a five-year action plan aimed at restoring cleanliness and regulating climbing activity in the Himalayas.
Announcing the measures on Tuesday, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation said it may limit the number of climbers and regulate the timing of expeditions, factoring in the narrow window of favourable weather and increasing congestion on popular peaks.
According to the Action Plan to Keep Mountains Clean (2025–2029), the government will introduce legal and policy provisions to determine and regulate both the number of climbers and the scheduling of expeditions.
The plan follows a Nepal Supreme Court order issued last year directing authorities to grant climbing permits only after clearly specifying the number of climbers. Nepal has been undertaking annual clean-up drives on its mountains, particularly Everest.
Data from the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) shows that more than 83 metric tonnes of waste were collected from Mount Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse during the Spring 2025 climbing season alone.
As part of the new framework, teams of trained and experienced mountaineers will be mobilised with clearly defined responsibilities to collect and monitor waste and human remains above base camps.
The government also plans to introduce standards and quality benchmarks for waste classification and management. Members of mountaineering teams will be required to prepare an inventory of all equipment carried above base camp and register it at designated entry points.
“Upon returning from the expedition, the items brought back must be mandatorily registered at the exit point,” the action plan states.
The plan further mandates that banners, flags, prayer flags and similar items taken above base camp must be biodegradable, with authorities retaining the power to regulate their size and length. Non-biodegradable materials, if used, must be brought back after the expedition.
To improve waste removal, the government has proposed feasibility studies on the use of ropeways and drones to collect garbage from areas above base camps on heavily climbed mountains.
Special conditions may also be imposed on rope-fixing teams, requiring all materials such as ropes and ladders used during route preparation to be brought back at the end of the climbing season. Agencies involved in waste management will be required to maintain records to ensure compliance.
In response to persistent complaints about pollution at Mount Everest Base Camp, the action plan also calls for a feasibility study on relocating the base camp.
The government said the measures aim to prevent garbage accumulation from the very start of the climbing season and ensure the long-term protection of Nepal’s fragile mountain ecosystem.