Nepal is set to pass a law to grant permits to climb Mount Everest only to those who have previously scaled at least one 7,000-metre peak within the country, marking a major shift for the tourism-dependent country amid concerns over overcrowding and ecological imbalance on the world’s highest mountain.
Nepal, which is heavily reliant on climbing, trekking and tourism for foreign exchange, has faced criticism for permitting too many climbers, including inexperienced ones, to try to ascend the 8,849-metre (29,032 ft) peak.