Moon Jae-in to speak at UN desertification conference in Mongolia www.koreajoongangdaily.com

Former Korean President Moon Jae-in departed for Mongolia on Sunday to attend a United Nations conference on desertification and meet with the Mongolian president.

Moon left through Gimhae International Airport in the southeastern port city of Busan and will travel via Incheon International Airport to make a nine-day visit to Mongolia, the host of the 17th session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Conference of the Parties.

He is scheduled to give a speech at the session's opening on Monday before attending a luncheon hosted by Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh.
On Wednesday, he is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech at a high-level roundtable for the Peace Forest Initiative, a platform for global cooperation launched in 2019 jointly by the Korean government and the UNCCD.

This is Moon's second official overseas trip since leaving office in 2022. It was arranged at the invitation of the UNCCD and the Mongolian president.

COP17 in Mongolia: Finding solutions to land degradation www.euronews.com

Delegates of 179 members of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification engage with local communities and business partners to find solutions for land degradation which affects half of world's population and creates poverty and mass migration.
Geography says that 70% of land mass on our planet is suitable for human life. The rest is an extreme environment where people can hardly survive. But that proportion is rapidly changing. 40% of the soil humanity uses to sustain itself is already degraded and is becoming barren. Brought about by climate change, drought, misuse of agricultural land and other human activity, much of the habitable land is turning into a desert with natural, known deserts expanding every day.

This crisis was detected and its effects scientifically described already in the 20th century. The United Nations appealed to the member states saying that every community needs land to sustain life. Without land there is no food and it triggers poverty, migration and conflict. That is why the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was approved in 1994 and came into force in 1996. It has 197 signatories. They meet regularly to find mechanisms to fight desertification and land degradation.

This year the United Nations entrusted Mongolia with organising the conference of parties, COP17. It opened in the capital of Ulaanbaatar on August 17 with participation of most UNCCD member states and over 400 different organisations and community representatives.

Why they need to do something urgently can be expressed in figures. Almost 3 and a half billion people on the planet are affected by land degradation. According to some estimates, it costs their states and local communities 900 million dollars every year to do something about it and save people from loss of income and food sources.

Droughts have increased by two thirds since the year 2000.

Water is becoming a scarce resource and the demand for it will surpass the sources by 40% by 2030.

85% of the affected people live in medium and low-income countries and much of the mass migration has to do with food and income being unavailable due to land degradation.

Our languages, cultures, ethnic backgrounds and religions may differ, but we share a common determination to safeguard the future in which we can all continue to live in harmony with Mother Earth.
 Nyam-Osoryn Uchral 
Prime Minister of Mongolia
The story of the host country, Mongolia where cost to produce a loaf of bread has tripled over just one past decade was repeated by all other participating regions. From the very opening, the leaders were eager to stress that the COP17 is not about some distant environmental worry, but about the problem that is already here and getting worse by the month.

“This summer we saw across different parts of the world, also in Europe, how drought disrupted river transport and strained energy production. It reduced agricultural yield and induced wildfire with losses of lives. Similar stories are there around different parts of the world that we never thought would be affected. The message is clear, droughts are no longer just an environmental issue, they are not just absence of rain or a geographic environmental issue. They are a systemic risk to food and water security, to international commerce, energy supply, livelihood and , simply to stability and prosperity,” said dr Yasmin Foudh, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD at the opening ceremony.

Mongolia has been chosen as the venue for the COP17 for three reasons. First, it wanted to be the host and applied 4 years ago. Second, it is among the countries that feel effects of land degradation. Over the last 8 decades the average temperature in Mongolia rose by 2 degrees Celsius and precipitation dropped significantly. Winds started carrying sand from the Gobi desert over the Mongolian flatlands all the way to South Korean and even Japan. Last but not least, it has been on the forefront of global efforts to combat the spread of deserts.

“Mongolia, our vast country, is among the most affected by the challenges facing the world today. On this vast territory, where there are only two people per every square kilometre, 77% of the country, or in another words, eight out of every ten steps of the land, are affected by desertification and is increasingly being covered by the encroaching sands,” said Mongolian Prime Minister, reminding that since his country joined the UN Convention on Combating Desertification, it has implemented many measures in its development plans.

Assuming the role of the COP17 president, Mongolia’s Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh pledged her country’s full commitment to combating the degradation of the land that the fabric of her nomadic nation is made of. Pledge supported by action taken so far.

“Today, Mongolia is contributing to global efforts through national initiatives aimed at protecting ecosystems, combating desertification, restoring degraded land, strengthening food security and increasing the resilience of our people and communities. The Billion Trees National Movement, the Food Revolution, White Gold and Unlock initiatives launched by the President and the Prime Minister of Mongolia, together with the recently adopted law on climate change, are tangible expressions of this national commitment. At the multilateral level, Mongolia initiated the United Nations General Assembly resolution proclaiming 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists,” said Foreign Minister Batmunkh.

What are the solutions and what can COP17 achieve?

There is no one solution to the problem of desertification as each region has its own specific problems with drought, land degradation and their consequences. The sheer scale of the expense needed to combat the problem, estimated at almost 6,500 billion dollars a year sounds like unsustainable lost cause. But it is not so.

Experts have calculated and business people proved, that in many projects aimed at saving soil from turning into Mars-like surface, for every 1 dollar invested you can get 7 to 30 back. Because it is the investment into sustainable food production and green projects, all of which is profitable.

This is fortunate because it allows for the private money to flow into the desperately needed solutions. Since the establishment of UNCCD many countries have implemented measures and added them to their development programmes. Public-private cooperation have been established.

“Countries have already committed to the one billion hectare by 2030 and more than 70 countries had submitted already their drought management plans. So we are not starting from scratch. More than 100 countries would like to translate the land plans into actual projects, investable projects with the potential of 2 billion US dollars. More than 300 businesses are already engaging with us here,” says executive secretary Foudh.

There are many corporate parties involved in the conference as it seeks to utilize private funds and only the host country expects more than 1.5 billion dollars of funds to be directed at its programmes of re-forestation, green energy and sustainable agriculture.

But equally important impact of COP conferences is the interaction between all the stakeholders in the battle against losing soil. In this particular one, more than 500 representatives of indigenous communities, from Amazonia, through Africa to the Asian steppes, were able to speak and relate their problems and proposed solutions.

With 60 organisations exhibiting their solutions and over 400 cultural and scientific events, COP17 also promises to be the of the busiest and liveliest ones during the 12 days of gathering.

Organisers expect more than 30,000 people to visit the event before it closes on August 28.

Mayors Exchange Good Practices, Seek New Partnership Models at COP17 www.montsame.mn

The Mayors’ Forum is being held in Ulaanbaatar as part of the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17).

Opening the forum, Purevdagva Bayruuzana, Governor of the capital and Mayor of Ulaanbaatar, said that although Mongolia has preserved a nomadic heritage of living in harmony with the land, land degradation, drought and desertification have become major challenges, as they have in other countries.

“Desertification, water scarcity, climate change, pasture degradation and the resulting adverse impacts of dust storms are not confined by national borders. Therefore, partnerships among cities and international cooperation are essential. COP17 provides an opportunity to learn from good practices, share challenges and solutions facing the region, and address them together.

“Ulaanbaatar, as a major economic and financial center generating around 70 percent of Mongolia’s GDP, should play a leading role in promoting green economic cooperation through partnerships among cities and in reducing pasture degradation. Partnerships among cities and appropriate investment solutions will be crucial to implementing the goals put forward at COP17.

“We seek to learn from your good practices and jointly introduce new ideas and partnership models that can benefit all parties.

“Ulaanbaatar will take the lead in serving as a bridge for cooperation through city partnerships and an investment system based on the green economy. We will also put forward the ‘Ulaanbaatar Declaration,’ which will reflect the common positions and shared goals of cities, and the ‘Ulaanbaatar Initiative,’ which will link these goals with concrete actions and investment. Partnerships among cities and investment opportunities will be an important step toward international cooperation. I believe the new ideas and solutions emerging from this forum will mark the beginning of long-term cooperation.”

The forum brings together city leaders from around the world, representatives of international and research organizations, development partners, financial institutions, and the private sector for high-level policy discussions, scientific and technological exchanges, and the sharing of urban experiences. It aims to promote the international sharing of policies, good practices, technologies, innovations and nature-based solutions implemented at the city level; connect the voices and participation of local governments with the UNCCD process; and establish an institutional and financial foundation for sustained cooperation among cities.

Yasmin Fouad, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, said that more than half of the world’s population is projected to live in cities and urban areas by 2050.

“The concentration of people, economic activity and infrastructure is making cities key centers for human development and environmental sustainability. When we talk about land, we cannot leave the people living on that land out of the equation. Urban areas should not be treated differently from rural areas. It is important to consider how financial resources can be delivered and how land and water can be managed properly. These issues must be addressed in an integrated manner.

“Therefore, we are discussing resilience to land degradation and climate change, and by the final day, we will make decisions for healthy and resilient land for all,” she emphasized.

Sandag-Ochir Tsend, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, noted that although desertification, drought and land degradation are often considered local issues, their consequences affect people’s lives through migration, air pollution and other impacts, making cities recipients of these risks. He stressed that mayors are among the most important actors in implementing the goals put forward globally at COP17.

He also emphasized the importance of cities in providing global leadership, saying that it is not enough simply to discuss green finance, investment and urban planning. Instead, successful solutions implemented in one city should be replicated in other cities.

The Minister added that Mongolia is ready to work with international and financial institutions, the private sector and civil society to address these challenges.

Dr. Ursula Sautter, a member of the Bonn City Council and Deputy Mayor of Bonn, Germany, spoke about the challenges facing her city.

“Since May, temperatures in Bonn have reached 35–40 degrees Celsius. The city’s buildings were not designed to cope with such extreme heat. The soil has become like a desert, making conditions difficult for trees, plants and birds. Water levels have fallen to levels never seen before in centuries. This is the first time we have experienced such difficulties, which other countries have faced before. In this regard, I am grateful to be participating in this forum,” she said.

She noted that money alone cannot solve all problems and said that, in addition to encouraging businesses operating in the city to contribute to biodiversity and environmental protection, Bonn is receiving financial assistance from local landowners to help address the challenges it faces.

Representatives of 33 countries, 24 cities, 51 international organizations and 23 domestic organizations are participating in the forum.

First 110 Green Housing Units Completed at Sharkhad Sub-Center www.montsame.mn

The first 110 green housing units have been completed and commissioned at the Sharkhad sub-center in Ulaanbaatar.

Built under the Ulaanbaatar Green Housing Project, the buildings are estimated to reduce energy consumption by 25 percent for residents, water consumption by 20–25 percent, and the embodied energy of construction materials by 20–25 percent compared with conventional buildings.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Purevdagva Bayruuzana, Governor of the capital and Mayor of Ulaanbaatar, said, “The Ulaanbaatar Green Housing Project is being implemented at the Bayankhoshuu and Sharkhad sub-centers with financing from the Asian Development Bank and the Green Climate Fund to shift Ulaanbaatar from a monocentric to a polycentric city, reduce urban concentration, and ease traffic congestion.

“A total of 338 green housing units are being built at the Sharkhad sub-center. Today, the first 110 units have been commissioned and are ready to accommodate residents.

“The green housing units in Ulaanbaatar have received EDGE certification, a green building certification recognized in more than 150 countries worldwide. In other words, the buildings use environmentally friendly and human-centered construction materials and are designed to save water and energy, making them more comfortable for residents.

“Going forward, we will launch projects to develop 4,200 green housing units in partnership with the private sector. The project will help save 2.4 million kWh of electricity and 5.5 million liters of water annually, and improve residents’ living conditions.”

Under the Ulaanbaatar Green Housing Project, a total of 4,200 green housing units are planned to be developed as an integrated project, together with 120,000 square meters of green space, 16.4 kilometers of bicycle lanes, 39.2 kilometers of pedestrian paths, and 3,800 parking spaces.

Ten percent of the green housing units will be designated for persons with disabilities, making it the largest housing project in the city designed to provide an accessible living environment for people with disabilities. The buildings feature accessible entrances and exits, while their interior layouts have been designed to accommodate residents with disabilities.

Basic pensions for senior citizens to increase by MNT 100,000–300,000 from November 1 www.gogo.mn

Prime Minister N.Uchral presented amendments to Mongolia’s 2026 State Budget on August 20, 2026, and announced plans to accelerate the implementation of social insurance reform.

“Under the reform, basic pensions for senior citizens will be introduced starting November 1, 2026, with pension amounts expected to increase by MNT 100,000–300,000.

The current average monthly pension is approximately MNT 955,000 and is expected to increase by MNT 233,800, reaching approximately MNT 1.19 million.

A total of 435,000 senior citizens are expected to benefit from the reform, which will require an estimated MNT 1.2 trillion in funding.

This reform aims to reduce disparities in the pension system and ensure a fairer assessment of the work, years of service, and contributions of senior citizens. It will recognize the contributions of the older generation and make the pension system fairer,” Prime Minister N.Uchral said.

Currently, 435,000 citizens in Mongolia receive pensions.

Tourism driven by inflated figures, left behind in development www.ubpost.mn

The international tourism market is steadily recovering and has overcome the crisis caused by the zero-activity period during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2021, according to UN Tourism. Last year, 1.5 billion tourists traveled worldwide, generating 2.2 trillion USD in tourism revenue. Both the number of travelers and the sector’s revenue increased three to fourfold compared with five years earlier.

In the first quarter of this year, 307 million international tourists traveled abroad, marking a two percent increase from the same period a year earlier. According to forecasts by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Statista, the number of tourists is expected to exceed one billion by the end of the year, while direct spending in the tourism sector is projected to reach 1.07 trillion USD, representing a 6.8 percent increase. “International tourism has passed through its most vulnerable period following the prolonged crisis and is now on a path of sustainable growth,” researchers concluded.

Meanwhile, Mongolia welcomed a record 847,000 tourists in 2025, the highest number in the country’s history, with tourism revenue reaching 728 million USD, according to official figures. The number of visitors was 14 to 25 times higher than during the pandemic period, while tourism revenue increased by 91 percent.

Last spring, UN Tourism named Mongolia among the world’s 20 fastest-growing tourism destinations, noting that the country is emerging as a strong competitor and a new destination in the regional tourism market.

As of the first eight months of 2026, 622,000 tourists have arrived in Mongolia. With the peak tourism season nearing its end, researchers have warned that it remains uncertain whether visitor numbers will increase significantly in the coming months and whether the country will meet its target of surpassing last year’s figure by the end of the year.

Although the sector’s overall performance and key quantitative indicators remain positive, a number of significant risks and pressing challenges lie behind these figures. Below, we compare the trends and changes in the international and Mongolian tourism markets.

QUANTITY OR QUALITY?

International tourism is shifting from a focus on quantity to quality, adopting a “value over volume” strategy. Rather than simply counting the number of tourists, countries are increasingly prioritizing the value visitors bring to local economies and communities and their overall economic impact.

According to research by UN Tourism, although modern travelers are taking trips less frequently, the average length of their stays and the amount they spend per trip have increased by 18–22 percent compared with the pre-pandemic period. For example, although the number of foreign visitors to France, one of Europe’s leading tourism destinations, in 2024–2025 had not yet returned to 2019 levels, tourism revenue exceeded 63.5 billion EUR, reaching a historic high. This has been attributed to tourists becoming more willing to spend on cultural events and premium services.

According to Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE), the average daily spending of tourists visiting the country has risen to 170–195 EUR, a 21 percent increase from six years ago. Tourists are increasingly seeking longer, more comfortable and higher-quality travel experiences.

For this reason, international tourism markets are moving away from simply pursuing higher visitor numbers and are increasingly adopting policies aimed at maximizing the economic benefits generated by each tourist while reducing tourism’s negative environmental impact—in other words, shifting from volume to value.

Along with this trend, major cities around the world have begun introducing taxes and other measures to limit tourist numbers. Rather than accommodating millions of “low-spending” visitors, they are introducing regulations to attract and filter for economically capable, “high-value” travelers.

The authorities in Venice, Italy, for instance, have introduced an entry fee of 5 to 10 EUR for short-term visitors, particularly day-trippers. Amsterdam in the Netherlands has imposed a strict cap aimed at keeping annual tourist numbers below 20 million and has completely banned the construction of new hotels and certain tourism-related facilities in the city center.

These are just a few examples of the numerous policies and decisions introduced around the world to restrict and regulate tourism. This is the direction in which the macro trends and flows of international tourism are moving.

On the other hand, what is happening in Mongolia? A strategy of “value over volume”. Mongolia, however, has continued to pursue almost the opposite approach and remains firmly committed to it. Rather than focusing on the quality of tourists and the value they bring to the tourism sector, the country continues to chase visitor numbers.

This is the main reason Mongolia remains fixated on its goal and aspiration of attracting one million tourists. It also helps explain why tourism statistics and performance reports may appear positive while the actual situation on the ground remains less favorable.

For example, Mongolia welcomed 727,000 tourists in 2024. That year, tourism revenue reached a historic high of approximately 1.5–1.6 billion USD. However, despite receiving more than 120,000 additional visitors last year, tourism revenue barely reached 720 million USD. Industry experts say a similar situation is likely to be repeated this year.

According to reports from the Immigration Agency of Mongolia and the Tourism Professional Association, Russians and Chinese accounted for approximately 50–60 percent of the tourists who entered Mongolia this year. However, they are reportedly rarely seen in major tourist destinations, protected areas or tourism service facilities. Meanwhile, Japanese and South Korean visitors are said to make up the majority of tourists traveling to rural areas.

This is linked to the fact that Mongolia registers virtually every foreign passenger entering the country as a tourist, resulting in inflated visitor figures. The authorities do not adequately distinguish or accurately count how many of those arrivals are genuine tourists. This is the fundamental reason why tourist numbers continue to rise rapidly while tourism revenue and profitability indicators fail to show a corresponding increase.

Since the beginning of 2026, the number of travelers arriving in Mongolia has exceeded the same period last year by more than 20,000. International organizations continue to highlight Mongolia as one of the countries maintaining steady growth in tourism.

Yet tour operators and tourist camp operators say business activity has been relatively slow this year and revenues have been poor. The flow of visitors from South Korea, which has become one of Mongolia’s target tourism markets in recent years, has also reportedly declined sharply.

For this reason, tourism businesses and researchers are calling for a fundamental change: “At the very least, let us start by producing accurate tourist figures. We should stop counting every foreign national who crosses the border, including those who come to Mongolia to work on construction or road projects, as a tourist.”

They believe that only by doing so can Mongolia genuinely shift from quantity to quality and increase the actual economic benefits generated by tourism.

TRAVEL TRENDS AND PRIORITIES

Internationally, wellness tourism, which focuses on relaxation and health, and climate-sensitive tourism, which emphasizes environmentally responsible travel and sensitivity to climate change, are emerging as major trends.

Wellness travelers do not simply seek medical treatment and services. They choose these programs to support their mental health, relieve accumulated fatigue, escape social stress and recharge. They are increasingly willing to pay for travel packages offering a wide range of experiences, including yoga, meditation, spa treatments, hot springs, healthy eating, digital detox programs that limit smartphone and internet use, and relaxation in natural surroundings.

According to research by the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), wellness travelers spend 130 percent more than conventional tourists. As a result, countries are increasingly viewing them as high-value tourists and developing specialized products and services to attract them.

Climate-sensitive tourism, meanwhile, typically involves environmentally friendly programs, greater reliance on local communities and more traditional forms of travel. Studies have found that modern tourists, particularly Millennials and Generation Z, increasingly prefer eco-friendly travel programs that leave a minimal environmental footprint. Among younger travelers, even choosing airlines that operate aircraft with lower carbon emissions, as well as traveling by electric vehicles and horseback, is becoming increasingly popular.

Then, what types of tourism are trending in Mongolia? People working in the industry say wellness tourism aimed specifically at relaxation and health has yet to develop in Mongolia and remains a relatively new concept and service. However, nature-based and eco-tourism have gradually developed over the years.

B.Erkhem, who has worked as a tour guide for about 20 years, said, “Cultural tourism based on nomadic life and special-interest tourism remain the leading directions in Mongolia. Although they may sound like separate categories, both are essentially forms of nature-based tourism. Mongolian culture and nomadic life cannot be separated from nature. Special-interest tourism includes horseback riding, wildlife and bird watching, watching the sunset in the Gobi and visiting dinosaur footprints—all of which are connected to nature. The key issue is how we can align and develop these experiences with global trends in sustainable and eco-friendly tourism.”

“In recent years, more herder families in central provinces such as Arkhangai, Bulgan and Selenge have started hosting tourists. Cultural festivals and other events are also becoming more common. Integrating these activities with sustainable tourism policies would make them more valuable. Should we simply welcome every tourist who comes here and show them our most valuable product—our natural environment—for almost nothing? Mongolians can charge extremely high prices for empty buildings and vacant gers, yet we have failed to place a similar value on our natural environment,” the tour guide continued. 

“People criticize even a fee of 20,000–30,000 MNT for entering protected areas. But Bhutan, for example, charges every tourist a 100 USD sustainable development fee. They do not simply show visitors their natural environment; they also factor in the risks and costs associated with protecting it. We need to move closer to this model,” B.Erkhem further added. 

According to UN Tourism, the most pressing challenges currently facing the international tourism market are fluctuations in fuel prices and rising transportation costs stemming from the crisis in the Middle East.

For Mongolia, however, the most immediate challenge appears to be inflated tourism figures, and the policies and decisions of policymakers who continue to approach those figures without adequate scrutiny.

Mongolia Green Finance Corporation Launched During COP17 www.montsame.mn

The Mongolia Green Finance Corporation, established to mobilize long-term green financing through a partnership among the government, international organizations and the private sector, was officially launched on August 20.

Prime Minister Uchral Nyam-Osor said Mongolia must consider not only the immediate economic benefits of its natural resources, but also the interests of future generations through medium- and long-term policies.

“The official launch of the Mongolia Green Finance Corporation, based on a partnership among the government, international organizations, and the private sector, during COP17 is a clear demonstration of Mongolia’s commitment to translating its climate and environmental goals into tangible investments and viable projects,” he said.

The prime minister expressed confidence that the corporation would serve as an important financial channel for introducing energy-efficient and low-carbon technologies, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, providing long-term financing for green businesses and projects, and attracting domestic and foreign investment.

The financial corporation is being established with the participation of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), XacBank, the Credit Guarantee Fund, the Development Bank of Mongolia, and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).

The corporation will serve as a national financial mechanism providing long-term financing for green projects through banks and non-bank financial institutions. This will enable domestic financial institutions to offer more accessible, longer-term green financing products for:

Insulation, clean heating and energy efficiency in ger districts;
Affordable green housing;
Energy efficiency for businesses;
Low-carbon technologies; and
Green financing products for women entrepreneurs, low-income households, and vulnerable consumers.
Sandag-Ochir Tsend, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Yasmine Fouad, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and other officials attended the launch ceremony.

Mongolia and GGGI sign deal to strengthen green development cooperation www.qazinform.com

The Government of Mongolia and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) have signed an agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation on green development, climate action and sustainable investment, Qazinform News Agency cites MONTSAME. 

The agreement was signed by Sandag-Ochir Tsend, Mongolia’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, on behalf of the government, and Dr. Jason Lee, GGGI’s Acting Regional Director for Asia, on behalf of the institute.

Sandag-Ochir said Mongolia needs to strengthen its institutional capacity to attract and manage international cooperation, climate finance and green investment, while also improving its legal framework to implement the country’s Law on Climate Change and accelerate its green transition.

He described the agreement as a strategically important step toward strengthening the legal basis for Mongolia’s cooperation with GGGI, increasing access to international financing and investment, and expanding technical assistance.

Dr. Jason Lee said the agreement goes beyond establishing a legal framework, describing it as a reaffirmation of the two sides’ commitment to advancing Mongolia’s green development and climate objectives.

According to Lee, the agreement will provide a stronger foundation for GGGI to expand its cooperation with Mongolia, broaden existing programs, support efforts to attract international investment and help the country transition toward a green, climate-resilient and inclusive economy.

The agreement is expected to strengthen Mongolia’s ability to mobilize international technical and financial assistance needed to implement its commitments under the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals, the Law on Climate Change and national green transition policies and targets.

Mongolia joined GGGI in 2013, while the institute opened its country office in Mongolia in 2014. Since then, the two sides have cooperated in areas including the green economic transition, climate change, energy, green finance, sustainable urban development and sustainable natural resource management.

Through its partnership with Mongolia, GGGI has helped mobilize more than 375 million US dollars in grants and investment and has contributed to the development of national development policies and strategic documents.

The institute has provided technical and professional assistance for initiatives including Mongolia’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), the Green Development Strategy for the Energy Sector, the Law on Energy Conservation and the National Energy Conservation Program.

Earlier, Qazinform reported Mongolia had unveiled the 2026-2030 national biodiversity strategy.

Mongolia seeks joint S. Korea-China-Japan response to Gobi dust as COP17 drives cross-border cooperation www.koreapost.com

Mongolia, ESCAP and TCS push joint initiative on forecasting, early warning and risk assessment

Sandag-Ochir says cooperation with S. Korea possible on drought, satellite monitoring and water management as trilateral summit agreement moves towards implementation

With 77% of its land affected by degradation, Mongolia turns to one-billion-tree drive, 333 Lakes project and renewables in a ‘survival-driven green transition’
Sand and dust swept up from the Gobi Desert and Mongolia’s vast grasslands do not stop at national borders. Carried eastwards by strong westerly winds, they travel across China and can reach the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Mongolia is now seeking to elevate the issue of sand and dust storms beyond a domestic fight against desertification, framing it instead as a shared environmental challenge that requires a coordinated response from South Korea, China and Japan.

Tsend Sandag-Ochir, Mongolia’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, said in an interview on 20 August, on the sidelines of the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) in Ulaanbaatar, that Mongolia intends to strengthen a regional framework for joint action with the three countries against sand and dust storms.

Tsend Sandag-Ochir, Mongolia’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change (Source: Yonhap News)
Tsend Sandag-Ochir, Mongolia’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change (Source: Yonhap News)
Sandag-Ochir said the Mongolian government was working with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS) on a cross-border initiative to tackle the problem. The proposed cooperation would extend from joint monitoring and assessment of where dust storms originate and how they travel to forecasting models, technology exchanges and capacity-building for relevant personnel.

The initiative already has a diplomatic foundation. At the Ninth Trilateral Summit held in Seoul in May 2024, the leaders of South Korea, China and Japan agreed in their joint declaration to work with Mongolia to reduce dust and sandstorms in East Asia under the “Trilateral+X Cooperation” framework. The discussions at COP17 can therefore be seen as an effort to translate that leaders-level commitment into practical programmes linking monitoring and forecasting with action on the ground.

ESCAP is due to formally launch a joint North-East Asian initiative on sand and dust storms with the Mongolian government and TCS at COP17 on 25 August. The main areas of cooperation include impact-based forecasting, multi-hazard early warning, cross-border risk assessment, stronger preparedness among local governments and communities, and greater information-sharing between countries. The aim is to move beyond simply identifying where dust originates and instead connect source-area management, forecasting and responses in affected regions within a single system.

The renewed push for regional cooperation comes against the backdrop of a series of major dust storms across North-East Asia. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), dust that moved from Mongolia into China in 2025 contributed to one of the most severe sand and dust storm episodes China had experienced in a decade. In February this year, another major storm swept across southern Mongolia and northern China, reducing visibility to below 200 metres in some areas. Satellite analysis showed dust originating in the Gobi Desert moving south-eastwards along a Mongolian low-pressure system.

The talks have also raised the prospect of broader climate-adaptation cooperation between South Korea and Mongolia, extending beyond the issue of dust storms.

Sandag-Ochir said the two countries could work together on drought monitoring and early-warning systems, share satellite and remote-sensing data, and cooperate on water-management technology, land-restoration research and pilot projects in areas particularly vulnerable to climate change. If initial projects prove successful, he said, they could be expanded into full-scale programmes backed by specialist training, technology exchanges and financial support.

For Mongolia, this is about more than environmental policy alone. Much of the country consists of grassland and arid terrain, while herding and nomadic pastoralism continue to underpin local economies and livelihoods. The UNCCD estimates that around 77% of Mongolia’s territory is affected by land degradation. Grasslands account for roughly 70% of the country, and a significant share of the population depends directly or indirectly on pastoral ecosystems. As drought and desertification intensify, pressure on the land can quickly develop into problems affecting food, water, regional economies and population movements.

Against this backdrop, the Mongolian government is seeking to use the COP17 summit it is hosting as both a platform for environmental diplomacy and an opportunity to attract investment. It wants to bring together governments, businesses, civil society groups and researchers, present land-restoration and drought-response projects to international investors, and secure sustainable sources of finance.

Sandag-Ochir said a range of projects was being presented to potential partners and investors during the conference, arguing that growing demand for practical solutions on the ground also highlighted the need for long-term financing to sustain them.

That approach is closely aligned with the wider COP17 agenda. The UNCCD estimates that around $355bn in investment will be required globally each year between 2025 and 2030 to meet targets on land degradation, desertification and drought. The conference is also examining blended-finance models and mechanisms for reducing investment risk as part of efforts to channel private capital and development finance into land-restoration projects.

One of Mongolia’s flagship proposals at COP17 is the Steppe Action Agenda, named after the vast steppe landscapes that define much of the country. Its main pillars include the conservation and restoration of natural rangelands, integrated management of water and land, and the development of nature-based, sustainable infrastructure.

At home, Mongolia is also continuing the national One Billion Trees campaign launched in 2021. Sandag-Ochir said around 140 million trees had been planted over the past five years. But he stressed that the success of the programme should not be judged simply by the number of trees put into the ground. What matters, he said, is how many survive and help create a healthy ecosystem capable of stabilising the soil — something that requires long-term management and reliable financial support.

The approach is also consistent with the science of reducing sand and dust storms. The WMO says tree planting, restoration of degraded land, sustainable agriculture and improved water management can help stabilise soils and reduce the amount of dust released at source. But because dust storms driven by strong winds, drought and other weather conditions cannot be eliminated altogether, such measures need to be combined with monitoring, forecasting and early-warning systems designed to reduce their impact.

Mongolia’s 333 Lakes project forms part of the same strategy to address water scarcity. Based on the concept of creating a lake or water-storage facility in each of the country’s 333 soums, or administrative districts, the project aims to capture rainwater and surface water for use during droughts, while supporting livestock, agriculture and ecosystem restoration. The Mongolian government is already pursuing the programme as one of its key water-management policies for adapting to climate change.

Restoring land and securing water supplies, however, will not by themselves resolve Mongolia’s broader climate challenge. Sandag-Ochir acknowledged that the country remains heavily dependent on coal for heating and said it needs to expand renewable energy, including wind and solar power, while developing cleaner heating technologies. He also said Mongolia should support a gradual shift towards cleaner forms of transport, including electric vehicles.

Mongolia has abundant solar and wind resources, but its severe winter heating needs and an energy and heating system built around coal make the transition particularly difficult. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has also been testing technical alternatives aimed at reducing coal consumption, including renewable heating systems using solar thermal energy and geothermal heat pumps.

Taken together, the measures Mongolia is advancing at COP17 go well beyond tree planting. They amount to a broader climate-adaptation strategy linking land restoration in dust-source areas with water security, satellite monitoring and early warning, international investment and energy transition — while seeking to share both the cost and the technology required with neighbouring countries.

The reality that dust from the Gobi region can travel through China and reach South Korea and Japan also makes sand and dust storms a textbook cross-border environmental challenge — one that no single country can solve within its own borders.

“The international community lives on the same land, breathes the same air and is heading towards the same future,” Sandag-Ochir said, stressing that cooperation on climate and environmental challenges would increasingly become not a matter of choice, but a shared obligation.

Price Proposals Sent to Procure 179 Medicines www.montsame.mn

 Batshugar Enkhbayar, the Minister of Health, presented the progress of the single-source procurement of medicines, medical supplies, biopreparations, and vaccines during a Cabinet meeting.

In 2026, Mongolia procured essential medicines and medical supplies, such as hemophilia factor, polyvalent snake antivenom, and targeted cancer therapies, from a single source. For instance, purchasing recombinant antihemophilic factor from international organizations through single-source procurement with an approved budget of MNT 2.7 billion in 2026 reduced the unit price, saving MNT 350 million. An analysis of the General Authority for Health Insurance's 2025 report on state-funded and health insurance-discounted medicines revealed that MNT 209.6 billion was spent on 424 types of drugs.

To rectify this and eliminate drug duplication in the coming year, a list of 179 internationally quality-compliant medicines capable of generating budget savings has been compiled. Price requests for these medicines were sent to Poland, Türkiye, and South Korea, as well as international organizations including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Furthermore, Minister Batshugar emphasized that specialized hospitals, along with aimag and district general hospitals, have been requested to submit their one-year demand for high-cost, high-consumption, and potentially out-of-stock medicines. The consolidation of these incoming proposals is currently underway.

The State will also fully cover the costs of epilepsy medication used by approximately 5,000 citizens nationwide. By concluding a contract with the UNDP to procure 45 types of medicines from 10 manufacturers, adequate reserves have been established, ensuring conditions to prevent future supply shortages.