Ulaanbaatar, 30 March 2021: Mongolia is among the countries most impacted by climate change with an observed temperature increase of 2.1C over the past 70 years and its key socioeconomic sectors including agriculture and animal husbandry in addition to the natural ecosystem are adversely affected by the changing climate conditions requiring urgent and timely actions.  

The frequency and magnitude of natural hazards including harsh winter, drought, snow and dust storms and flash floods are increasing with significant negative impacts on traditional livelihoods of herders and rural communities in Mongolia. Nomadic herders are particularly vulnerable to climate impacts given their reliance on environmental and natural resources. Making up 30% of the population, but with a disproportionate poverty rate, support to herder households is an adaptation priority for Mongolia.

UNDP and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism have signed “Improving Adaptive Capacity and Risk Management of Rural Communities in Mongolia,” a flagship climate adaptation project that is funded by the Green Climate Fund. The project will support the Government of Mongolia to implement climate mitigation and adaptation activities for the close to one million rural residents who are highly vulnerable to these impacts.

The project, to be implemented over the next 7 years, will support critical sectors and communities to strengthen their capacity to generate climate models for longer-term climate-resilient planning while reconciling the ambitious economic development goals of the livestock sector. The project will be implemented in four aimags: Zavkhan, Khovd, Dornod and Sukhbaatar and its 68 soums covering a range of ecological zones.

“We are pleased to jointly develop and implement this project that will contribute to the Government of Mongolia’s priorities for reducing climate change impacts and adaptation measures in partnership with UNDP with the funding from the Green Climate Fund. ” said Her Excellency Ms. Urtnasan, Minister of Environment and Tourism.

“UNDP’s climate adaptation and mitigation portfolio supports over 140 countries to help integrating climate risks into national and sub-national development planning. We are confident that the project will make a significant contribution to climate change adaptation identified as the top priority by the Government of Mongolia in its recently updated Nationally Determined Contribution” said Ms. Elaine Conkievich, UNDP Resident Representative.

Representatives from Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, National Emergency Management Agency, National Agency Meteorology, Hydrology and Environmental Agency, and UNDP Mongolia attended the project signing ceremony.

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For media inquiries:

Erdenesukh Otgonbayar | Communications Analyst | erdenesukh.otgonbayar@undp.org