Environmental Impacts of Mountaineering

Michal Apollo is an assistant professor at the Institute of Geography, Department of Tourism and Regional Studies at the Pedagogical University of Cracow, Poland. He received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in earth science in the field of geography at the Pedagogical University of Cracow, and a PGCert in global development from the University of Warsaw, Poland. Michal is an enthusiastic researcher (research field: man-environment systems), traveller (he has visited more than 60 countries on six continents), diver (Open Water Diver), mountaineer (several new climbing routes, including the first ascent on two Himalaya peaks: in 2006, Masala Peak, and in 2012, Forgotten Peak), ultra-runner (100-miler finisher), photographer (a few photo exhibitions), and science populariser (a few hundred pop-science lectures). Michal’s unique background allows him to integrate knowledge from various perspectives into his research and consultancy work. His areas of expertise are tourism management, consumer behaviours, and environmental and socioeconomic issues. In his main research field, he focuses on human presence and well-being in high-mountain regions. Currently, he is working on a concept for the sustainable use of environmental and human resources, as this is the key to the development, prosperity, and well-being of all stakeholders. Michal is a Global Justice Fellow at Yale University, New Haven, USA, and a founder and board member of the Polish Chapter of Academics Stand Against Poverty.

• Introduction.- Background.- Environmental impacts of mountaineering.- A conceptual framework for investigating the environmental impacts of mountaineering.- Conclusion.