Everest Sherpa taking the lead on climate change with 1,700km trek

Apa Sherpa, the man who has climbed Mount Everest more times than anyone else, is attempting a trek of 1,700km over some 120 days across the Himalayas in order to highlight the effects of climate change on the region.

He is travelling with two-time Everest climber Dawa Steven Sherpa on the venture which traverses through the feet of eight of the world’s highest mountains.

"During the walk we will see the challenges faced by the local people in dealing with the effects of climate change on the remote and poor foothills of Himalayas," Sherpa told Reuters.

The Himalayan glaciers are in rapid decline, which will affect the lives of millions living in the basins below. "The international community is now asking us how to help Nepal cope with the problem and we have no answers," said Sherpa, who is now looking to world leaders to deal with the problems being seen in the region.

The pair hopes to visit some of the communities on the route and show the world some of the problems the native people are facing as a result of climate change. Nepal is one of the world’s least polluting countries, yet they are facing some of the biggest impacts.