Nepal to Regulate the Number of Climbers in Himalaya
The new five-year plan is designed to help reduce waste on the world's highest peaks
Amid growing concern over decades of waste accumulation on Nepal’s high mountains, including Mount Everest, the government has unveiled a five-year action plan aimed at restoring cleanliness and regulating climbing across the Himalaya. Announcing the measures last week, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation said it may limit the number of climbers and regulate the timing of expeditions, citing congestion on popular peaks and the narrow window of favourable weather. The measures are outlined in the Action Plan to Keep Mountains Clean (2025–2029).
Under the plan, the government will introduce policies to regulate both the number of climbers and expedition schedules. The initiative follows a Nepal Supreme Court order issued last year directing authorities to issue climbing permits only after clearly specifying the number of climbers. Nepal has been conducting annual clean-up drives on its mountains, and 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, 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. Expedition members 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 mandates that banners, flags, prayer flags and similar items taken above base camp must be biodegradable, with authorities empowered to regulate their size and length. Any non-biodegradable materials used must be brought back. To improve waste removal, feasibility studies will be conducted on the use of fixed ropes 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 ropes, ladders and related materials to be removed at the end of the season.
