NEPAL: Nepal's cabinet will meet in the shadow of Mount Everest next week to highlight the impact of global warming on the Himalayas ahead of United Nations climate talks in Copenhagen, officials said Saturday.Twenty-six ministers, together with staff, will travel to the town of Gorakshep, high up in the foothills of Everest, for the special climate-themed meeting, said Bishnu Rijal, press advisor to Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
"We're going to host a ministerial level cabinet meeting on Friday, December 4 at Gorakshep to draw the attention of the whole world" to the effects of global warming on the Himalayas, he told AFP.
"Our glaciers are melting and glacial lakes are growing and are on the verge of overflowing. That will create a Himalayan tsunami. Even though we do not contribute to global warming, our country is highly vulnerable."
The U.N. talks, aimed at setting targets to curb greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, take place Dec. 7-18.
Gorakshep, a sandy plateau 5,165 meters (17,000 feet) above sea level, is the last village before the Everest base camp and the place from where mountaineers seeking to climb the celebrated peak set out.
Originally the cabinet planned to meet at the base camp itself, a little higher at 5,360 meters (17,585 feet).
But the venue was changed as it was too difficult to get all the ministers and officials there by helicopter, Rijal said.
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