Mongolia

Executive Summary

Mongolia can be identified as a developing country. According to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023 - 2027 report, Mongolia is a middle-income country with HDI value of 0.737 (2019) which places it in the high human development category.

As a country with a population of 3.4 million people and a total land area of 1,553,560 km2, Mongolia possesses a significant landmass in relation to its population size. Globally, grasslands are vital components of the terrestrial carbon cycle. Mongolia, being a landlocked country, has over half of its population residing in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. The country holds immense potential for grassland soil carbon sequestration, a critical aspect of global carbon management. While oceans store the majority of Earth's carbon, soils also hold a substantial carbon reservoir, accounting for approximately 75% of the terrestrial carbon pool.

In recent years, Mongolia has seen a significant increase in its livestock population, reaching 75 million in 2022. This surge in livestock numbers has led to land use degradation due to overgrazing. Mongolia's responsibility lies in improving the overall health of its soil, which, in turn, would enhance carbon sequestration. Soil health is a pivotal factor in achieving increased carbon sequestration, and addressing the issue of overgrazing is essential to fulfilling this role effectively.

According to the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, in 2021, the average temperature rise in Mongolia was 2.25 degrees, twice as high as the global average temperature rise, and precipitation decreased by 7.3% compared to the previous year. In that same year, there were 118 hazardous events, such as floods, fires, and other dangerous occurrences, related to climate change, with 11 of them being disastrous cases. According to research conducted in 2020, the desertification of Mongolia covered 76.9% of the entire area.

NDC Highlights

 Mongolia has set forth an ambitious target in its NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution). The nation aims to achieve a 22.7% reduction in total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2023 compared to a business-as-usual scenario, with the base year being 2010 (excluding LULUCF - Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry). Mongolia's strategy recognizes the crucial role of carbon emissions removal in achieving this reduction, with a significant 44.9% of GHG emission reduction expected to come from the forest sector. Furthermore, the NDC highlights the potential to attain a 27.2% reduction in total national GHG emissions by efficiently implementing carbon capture and storage, as well as waste-to-energy technology. The methodology employed for this endeavor relies on the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for national GHG inventories, particularly for the non-energy sector. In the NDC report, mitigation actions and measures are categorized into the energy sector (production and consumption) and non-energy sectors, including agriculture, industrial processes and product use (IPPU), and waste. Reduction

NDC Lowlights

When assessing Mongolia's NDC, it becomes evident that the plan is well-defined, yet certain aspects call for revision and enhancement. While mitigation actions and targets are clearly stated, there's a notable absence of specifics on how these targets will be achieved. For instance, the document mentions a reduction of GHG emissions from the energy sector's production by 8,340.5 Gg CO2-eq using hydro power plants, wind power plants, and solar power plants, but fails to provide clarity on the proportion of emissions reduction attributable to these energy sources. Similarly, it references a reduction in the internal use of combined heat and power plants (CHPP) without specifying the percentage of this reduction.Mongolia's energy sector is heavily subsidized by the government, and given the significant role of coal in the energy mix, it's imperative to establish concrete targets and a clear reduction pathway for emissions. The current NDC lacks the specificity required to assess the feasibility of emission-reduction actions. While ambitious targets are commendable, they must be not only aspirational but also practically defined. Furthermore, the NDC addresses the reduction of raw coal usage, despite Mongolia being one of the world's largest producers of raw coal. The energy sector's heavy reliance on coal, coupled with coal-fired stoves used for heating in ger districts, makes the transition challenging. The NDC remains vague in outlining how this transition will be achieved, especially in light of recent government plans to import more efficient coal, which appears contradictory to the NDC's objectives.

Another notable omission in the NDC is the lack of emphasis on youth participation in mitigation and adaptation strategies. Young people are not just climate change victims; they are also vital contributors to climate action. While recognizing the importance of youth voices, it's equally crucial to harness their potential through education, science, and technology. Encouraging and supporting youth participation can lead to technological innovations and fresh approaches to addressing climate challenges. In summary, Mongolia's NDC displays promise but requires refinement in key areas, including the clarity of mitigation strategies, a comprehensive roadmap for emissions reduction, and the integration of youth participation in climate action strategies.

Key Recommendations on intergenerational justice

In Mongolia's NDC, there isn't any mention of youth inclusion. It is important to have an inclusive plan for youths because they play a vital role in addressing climate change and raising awareness about climate-related issues. Youth often exhibit higher environmental awareness compared to older generations, and this awareness can drive society towards making better choices. For example, companies that are more oriented toward the younger generation may opt for more sustainable practices, which can have a broader impact on society's overall adoption of sustainability. I believe that policies and strategies targeting youth inclusion should be incorporated into adaptation actions and measures.

Key Recommendations on Gender Equality

In Mongolia's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), there is no mention of gender and gender equality. However, it is essential to emphasize the importance of addressing gender issues, especially within the framework of the UNDP's Climate Promise. This initiative collaborates with countries to promote gender equality and provide support in this critical area. In many contexts, women are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change than men. This vulnerability is often exacerbated because women constitute a significant portion of the world's impoverished population, especially in rural areas of developing countries. Such communities are particularly susceptible when they heavily rely on local natural resources threatened by climate change. Additionally, women encounter various challenges, including social, economic, and political barriers, which limit their capacity to cope with climate-related challenges. Furthermore, climate change has profound consequences for global food production and security. According to UN WomenWatch's report on women, gender equality, and climate change, women farmers contribute significantly to food production in developing countries, ranging from 45 to 80 percent depending on the region. Moreover, the female labor force in agriculture surpasses the male labor force in developing countries. Consequently, it is imperative to integrate inclusive planning and policies that address gender equality and support the sector that may be most affected by climate change. Therefore, Mongolia should explicitly incorporate considerations of gender and gender equality within its NDC, outlining how these issues will be integrated into mitigation and adaptation actions. This approach ensures that climate-related initiatives in Mongolia are both effective and equitable.

Key Recommendations on Emissions Reduction

Mongolia has set clear goals and actions in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to combat climate change. However, there's a need for a clearer plan on how these actions will be put into action and monitored. For instance, while the plan outlines key actions for reducing emissions stemming from the energy sector, such as transitioning to Euro-5 standard fuel, shifting coal export transportation from road to rail, and adopting electric heating for passenger trains, it falls short in specifying the expected proportion of emissions reduction attributed to each of these actions. It's great to have ideas in the NDC, but it's equally important to have a system to track progress. Since the NDC gets updated every five years, we need to make sure that the planned actions are actually working. This applies to adaptation goals as well. To truly make progress in reducing emissions and dealing with climate impacts, we must set up a good system to track and monitor progress. We also need to understand how much each action contributes to emissions reduction. This will make things clear and help us see if we're making real progress over time.