Ethics in Mountaineering

The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) has approved and published a new "set of recommendations and norms, rather than rules that will hopefully resonate with climbers and mountaineers worldwide." These 9 norms, in brief, require that we:

• report the style by which we climb with honesty.
• accept other people's styles when different from our own.
• will not harm the experience of others while hiking or climbing.
• consider the effect on others before taking risks.
• help others in need, even at the expense of our own goals.
• respect the natural ecosystems in climbing areas and mountain regions.
• recognise climate change and seek to reduce our impact.
• adhere to local regulations and respect local communities and cultures.
• support the right of access to the wilderness with responsibility.

As related in an Alpine Journal 2025 article by Greg Moseley, the previous 2002 Tyrol Declaration was thought to have become somewhat out of date in the era of (anti)social media, climate change, competitive climbing, and commercial guiding (which has something of a monopoly on the 8000m peaks and other popular mountains).

The new Declaration covers "the ethics and style with which we climb and the environmental and social considerations that we should be aware of, and clarifies best practice for climbers and mountaineers", particularly for rock climbs and ascents of "alpine" peaks. However, much of it applies to lower-level (in all senses) hillwalking and rock-climbing, e.g. how to treat other parties, how to name routes, how to minimise waste, and how to deal with "locals".

The UIAA, founded in 1932, represents 94 member associations in 73 countries in six continents, and is recognised by the International Olympic Committee as representing mountaineering and climbing. The UK 'active member' is the British Mountaineering Association, with the Alpine Club as an 'associate member'. Its work is carried out by 200 volunteers, and includes Commissions on anti-doping, legal, medical, mountaineering, protection, safety, training, youth and ice-climbing.

Shortly before this article was finalised, the outcome of the Grossglockner case in Austria became known: an amateur though expert climber was convicted of manslaughter after his girlfriend froze to death on Austria's highest mountain. The legal, moral and social implications for mountaineering and hillwalking (and perhaps other sports) are being widely considered, including by Mountaineering Scotland.