They were in Viterbo, Italy for a Greenaccord event to enable journalists to share information and learn from experts about climate change.
The statement quoted the 19-times Everest summitteer Appa, as saying, “The changes in weather patterns are drastic. It didn´t snow at all during December, January and February, when it should snow heavily, and it finally snowed massively in May, when usually it´s dry.” He further added, “For the first time in my life, during the Eco Everest Expedition 2009, I saw running water around Camp 4 and near the summit of Mt. Everest.”
“In fact, at Camp 2 we did not even have to melt snow for drinking, which was very rare in previous expeditions,” Appa said.
In Kericho, Kenya, Christmas always used to be celebrated in heavy rain. “Today, Christmas is usually dry,” the statement quoted Nelly Damaris Chepkoskei as telling the media. Chepkoskei is a 53 year old Kenyan farmer working extensively with the women of her community.
Many of the climate witnesses now telling their stories at Viterbo are traveling on to Copenhagen, hoping that the Heads of State would look at the human costs of not concluding a binding legal agreement to limit emissions and assist developing nations in particular to adapt to climate change impacts, the statement further said.
WWF-Nepal said on Sunday that the Climate Witnesses are already active in their lives and with their communities taking action to deal with climate change impacts and towards reducing carbon emissions. They are joining with WWF to call on world leaders to also take strong action on climate change and have the courage to sign a new global climate deal in Copenhagen.
Appa and Dawa are in Viterbo as a part of the European Expedition of the Climate-for-Life Campaign spearheaded by WWF Nepal. After Rome they will be traveling through Geneva, Chamonix, Vienna, Brussels and finally to Copenhagen.
“We are delighted that our Campaign Ambassadors are succeeding in raising the profile of the Himalayas in the global climate debate,” said Prashant Singh, the WWF Campaign Leader.
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