BIKRAM RAI

There are two types of carbon that cause Himalayan snows to melt. One is carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning that heats up the atmosphere through the greenhouse-effect. The other is tiny particles of solid carbon given off by smokestacks and diesel exhausts that are deposited on snow and ice and cause them to melt faster. Both contribute to the accelerated meltdown of the Himalaya. Yak herders below Ama Dablam (above) now cross grassy meadows where there used to be a glacier 40 years ago.

Nepal's delegation at the Rio+20 Summit in Brazil later this month will be arguing that the country cannot sacrifice economic growth to save the environment. Increasingly, that is looking like an excuse to not address pollution in our own backyard.

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Dirty snow is melting our mountains faster, BHRIKUTI RAI in KHUMBU
Instead of whining about emissions by rich countries, we should stop our own pollution that is accelerating Himalayan meltdown

Backtracking in Brazil, Martin Khor in GENEVA
Rich countries want to abandon promises made 20 years ago to help developing countries protect the global environment