Khumbu Glacier melting accelerated by human activity at Everest base camp

An international research team, including officials from the Nepal Land Management Division, has found that human activity at the Mount Everest base camp is significantly accelerating the melting of the Khumbu Glacier. According to a study published in ‘Regional Environmental Change’, the heat generated by climbers, guides, and support staff contributes to melting approximately 2,500 tons of ice and snow per season.

Key contributors to this thermal impact include the use of fuels such as LPG, kerosene, and gasoline for cooking, heating, and electricity. In the spring of 2023, the operation of roughly 1,600 tents consumed massive amounts of fuel, generating an estimated 849,174 megajoules of thermal energy. Additionally, the study highlights that human waste, specifically urine, acts as a heat source. Due to high hydration needs at high altitudes, thousands of people discharge over 6,000 liters of urine daily, much of which is released directly onto the glacier. This alone is estimated to melt about 154 tons of ice per season.

Satellite data from 1991 to 2023 shows that surface temperatures around the base camp have risen by an average of 0.28 degrees Celsius per year, which is twice the rate of the adjacent Khumbu Glacier. Researchers noted that this estimate does not account for the heat from helicopters, body heat, or yaks, suggesting the actual impact may be even greater. The team suggested considering moving the base camp to more stable ground in the long term.