On the border of China and Nepal, Mount Everest has seen an influx of trash, due it being a huge tourist attraction. Due to COVID-19, citizens of Nepal had the opportunity to pick up trash on Mount Everest. The director of this project, Tommy Gustafsson explains that this project, if implement by the government, would be able to create more jobs and keep the environment free from pollution. He added that the upcycled art created by local and foreign artists would be part of the showcase. There have been multiple environmentalist groups that have started similar initiatives for Mount Everest.
The environmental movement has been increasing for the past several years all over the world. Young activists, like Greta Thunberg, have been crucial non-state actors that have impacted countries to act quickly on climate change policy. The Paris Agreement has also bound states to hold each other accountable for their environmental actions and legislations. When the United States pulled out of the agreement, it amplified countries who were against the agreement back in 2015, such as Iraq, South Sudan, and Libya. The economies of these countries are held up by using anti-environmental practices, therefore it’s difficult for them to exist with more environmental regulation.
This art highlights the most-talked about collective goods problem today- climate change. Climate change has been seen as problem for the future, therefore states have taken these past few years to initiate change. Production in industrial regions have to change to renewable energy sources, which is expensive for states that don’t make much profit. It is also hard for states to leave certain industries all together because it would ultimately affect the global economy. This collective goods problem is starting to get more attention by more developed countries and intergovernmental organizations, such as the United States and the United Nations. Because powerful states and IGOs are becoming more aware of this, it starts a trickle-down effect to smaller countries.