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Study at Everest Base Camp Estimated That Heating, Cooking, Electricity Generation, and Urinary Excretion Released Enough Heat to Melt About 2,492 Tons of Ice and Snow in 2023; Landsat Data Indicated an Annual Increase of 0.28 °C in Local Surface Temperature Between 1991 and 2023
Human activity at Everest Base Camp, known as EBC, was linked by researchers to the release of thermal energy sufficient to melt approximately 2,492 tons of ice and snow from the Khumbu Glacier during the spring season of 2023. The calculation considered sources such as heating, cooking, electricity generation, and the urinary excretion of visitors.
According to a report by CNN Brazil, published on September 1, 2026, the study cited by the network was published in Springer Nature Link and examined how different activities carried out at the base camp contribute heat to the glacier environment. Landsat satellite data also indicated a temperature increase of 0.28 °C per year at the camp’s surface between 1991 and 2023.
Everest Base Camp is Located on the Khumbu Glacier
The study focuses its analysis on the Everest Base Camp, a site of significant human activity associated with expeditions on the mountain.
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The growing presence of visitors in the area increases activities that produce heat directly above the Khumbu Glacier, according to the research presented by the source.
Researchers Summed Different Sources of Thermal Energy
The calculation did not attribute the potential melting to a single activity.
The researchers evaluated the thermal energy released by heating, cooking, electricity generation, and urinary excretion.
Combined, these sources produced, according to the study, energy equivalent to that necessary to melt thousands of tons of ice and snow.
Calculated Energy Would Equal Melting of 2,492 Tons
The estimate presented for the spring season of 2023 was approximately 2,492 tons of ice and snow.
The number represents a correlation between the thermal energy released by human activities and the amount of frozen material that could be melted with that heat.
The source does not claim that all 2,492 tons were directly observed disappearing due to these activities, but rather that the released energy would be sufficient to cause such a volume of melting.
Freshly Eliminated Urine Reaches Approximately 37 °C
Urinary excretion entered the thermal balance due to the temperature of the liquid as it leaves the human body.
According to the source, freshly expelled urine has a temperature close to 37 °C, roughly matching internal body temperature.
This heat is released into the environment when the urine is discarded at the campsite.
Urine Temperature Is Similar Between Men and Women
The study also addressed gender differences in this component of the calculation.
Urine temperature was described as “functionally identical” for men and women.
For this reason, the researchers do not expect significant temperature differences based solely on the individual’s gender.
Fuels Used in the Campsite Also Release Heat
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Human contribution is not limited to excretion.
The daily operation of the campsite involves fuels used for heating, cooking, and power generation, activities that release heat directly into the area occupied by visitors.
The study included these sources in the calculation of the thermal load associated with human presence.
Landsat Monitored Surface Temperature Between 1991 and 2023
The researchers also relied on a historical series based on satellite observations.
Data from the Landsat satellites were used to assess the evolution of surface temperature at Everest Base Camp over more than three decades.
The analyzed period spans from 1991 to 2023.
Campsite Surface Warmed 0.28 °C Per Year
The analyzed series showed a trend of rising temperatures.
According to the study, the surface temperature of the campsite increased by 0.28 °C per year from 1991 to 2023.
The rate recorded at EBC was approximately double that observed on the surface of the Khumbu glacier.
Local Warming Occurred at Twice the Rate of the Glacier
The comparison between the campsite and the rest of the glacier reinforced the difference found by the researchers.
The rate of increase in surface temperature at EBC was about twice as high as that recorded on the surface of the Khumbu glacier.
The source associates this situation with the increasing pressure of human activity in the region.
Study Proposes Reducing Human Impact on the Glacier
The authors also discussed measures to reduce the interference caused by the constant presence of people in the area.
According to the research, mitigating these influences can help preserve the glacier and make mountaineering activities more sustainable.
The proposal stems from the attempt to reduce additional sources of heat directly over the ice.
Two Locations Mapped for Possible Camp Relocation
One of the alternatives evaluated would involve moving the base camp away from the glacier itself.
Researchers mapped two locations considered more stable and safe for a potential relocation of the EBC outside of the ice area.
The source does not indicate that the relocation has been approved or decided, only that the sites have been identified as alternatives.
Possible Relocation Still Considered as Studied Alternative
The research does not establish that Everest Base Camp will be moved.
The two identified locations appear as possibilities within the discussion regarding the reduction of environmental impacts and safety of the structure used by climbers and support teams.
Thus, any relocation remains in the realm of alternatives mentioned by the study.
Human Activity Integrated into Calculation of Ice Loss on Everest
The study adds heating, cooking, electricity, and urinary excretion to the set of factors assessed in the thermal pressure on Everest Base Camp. By the spring of 2023, the energy from these activities was estimated to be sufficient to melt approximately 2,492 tons of ice and snow.
At the same time, Landsat records indicated an increase of 0.28 °C per year in the local surface temperature between 1991 and 2023, approximately double the rate recorded on the Khumbu Glacier. Researchers suggest reducing these influences and pointed out two locations outside the glacier as alternatives for a potential relocation of the camp.
In your opinion, which measure would make more sense to reduce the impact on Everest: limiting heat sources at the camp, improving human waste management, or relocating the base camp outside the glacier? Share your thoughts in the comments.
