Posted on noviembre, 23 2009

Kathmandu, Nepal – Legendary mountaineer Apa Sherpa and fellow Everest summiteer Dawa Steven Sherpa are embarking on what could be their most important expedition -- a trek through 10 European cities to raise awareness about the impacts of climate change in the Himalayas.

The two mountaineers began their European travels on Nov. 20, travelling from Prague to Brno, and are now in Bratislava. They will continue through London, Rome, Geneva, Chamonix, Vienna, Brussels and finally to Copenhagen in time for the climate change negotiations in December.

The journey which started with Apa Sherpa taking a Climate Change banner to the Everest Summit during his 19th Record ascent earlier this year, will now culminate on the European continent, one of the highest per capita greenhouse gas emitting regions in the world.

"The European Expedition will be like climbing Everest,” said Dawa Steven Sherpa. “Starting from the Base Camp in Kathmandu, we will be setting up subsequent camps throughout Europe – all helping us to reach our ultimate goal – the Summit - Copenhagen."

In their European journey, they will meet high-profile politicians and celebrities and people in the streets of these European cities to deliver the message from the Himalayas, where small communities literally live at the frontiers of climate change impacts.

Apa and Dawa will reach out to the people in Europe - the actions of whom will determine the future of Apa’s community and hundreds of millions of other people who live in the drainage system of the Himalayas.

The European Expedition is part of the Climate for Life Campaign initiated by WWF Nepal to raise the profile of the Himalayas in the global climate debate in collaboration with the government of Nepal, its development partners, and a large number of non-profit and private organizations.

WWF Nepal Country Representative, Anil Manandhar said: "During Climate Change debates, Himalayas, the third pole, has never got the rightful attention of international community."

"Apa and Dawa's European Expedition will be crucial in raising awareness about the impacts of Climate Change in the Himalayas taking the issue to the UN Climate Talks in Copenhagen."