It has been reported http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,2106907,00.html that, as part of its preparation for its 85,000 mile and 130 day long Olympic torch carrying ceremony, China will build a £10M tarmac road to the base camp on Mount Everest (or Mount Qomolangma as it is known in the East). This move has been welcomed by local climbing officials as something that will bring more tourists and climbers into this remote spot (they argue that the latter will be able to "save their energy for climbing" from the more easily reached base camp). It is common for people in such locations to see development as producing economic benefits. Environmentalists, however, have predictably expressed concern that this development (the base camp is at 5200 metres) will simply destroy the unique and fragile ecology of this high altitude region. This development is perhaps more worrying given that China has recently overtaken the USA as the major world releaser of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,2111124,00.html)!
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