Everest continues to attract climbers 70 years after first summit
Al JazeeraJUL 2023
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Seventy years on from the first successful climb, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa have opened the door to thousands of others following in their footsteps — transforming the surrounding area from small farming villages to bustling economic engines that bring in millions of dollars to the local population.
Establishment-critical narrative
In issuing a record number of permits, Nepal is prioritizing short-term income over the long-term state of the mountain. Worse still, they're turning a blind eye to the safety of the climbers who are at greater risk of dying under these conditions. This situation is not sustainable.