Nepalese Cabinet Meet at Mt Everest Base Camp

Wearing oxygen masks and heavy jackets, the Nepalese Prime Minister and more than 20 ministers flew in by helicopter to meet 17,000 feet above sea level at Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain.

The Prime Minister sent a strong message ahead of the December U.N. climate change summit in Copenhagen.

[Madhav Kumar, Nepalese Prime Minister]:
"Those nations that emit more carbons should sacrifice more, those which have been causing negative impact on the weather should contribute more."

The meeting lasted for about ten minutes after which the ministers were transported by helicopter to a lower altitude for the news conference.

[Madhav Kumar, Nepalese Prime Minister]:
"To save the Himalayas from environmental impacts, we commit to work together with South Asian countries and all the nations of the world to safeguard those (nations) at risk from climate change."

Home to eight of the world's 14 tallest peaks, including Mount Everest, Nepal is vulnerable to climate change despite it being a low carbon emitter.

Experts say thousands of glaciers in the Himalayas that are the source of water for 10 major Asian rivers could go dry in the next five decades because of climate change.

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