The people who see these changes in the starkest terms are the mountaineers attempting to pioneer challenging climbs on this newly shifting ground and the deep-rooted mountain communities facing fresh threats from a warming planet.
The village of Lunana Bhutan Photo: Rachel CarrOn 26 March 2026, at the Royal Geographical Society in London, the Mount Everest Foundation brings together these two perspectives, with talks from young, pioneering mountaineers and glacial scientists at the cutting edge of protecting Indigenous mountain populations.
Taking to the stage will be hungry young alpinists James Price and George Ponsonby, whose 2025 ascent of 6,673m Aikache Chhock in Pakistan, a daring climb that pushed the pair to the limit over nine days on the mountain, was hailed as one of the most impressive new routes of the year. As two climbers at the very start of their careers, the pair offer a unique perspective on how they have had to approach the mountains in an era of climate change.
Joining them will be Professor Rachel Carr and Sonam Rinzin from Newcastle University who will present their groundbreaking research on glacial lake outburst floods and the growing risks they pose to mountain communities. Drawing on their work in a remote region of Bhutan, the pair will explain how mountain villages might adapt to this growing threat.
‘Summits, Science and Survival’ is presented by the Mount Everest Foundation, with tickets available via Eventbrite for £20 + fees.