The Nature Conservancy: Eternal Mongolia
Securing Mongolia’s grasslands and herders in the face of climate change
The Trafigura Foundation is supporting an initiative to protect and sustainably manage Mongolia’s vast grasslands, securing the future of their rich biodiversity as well as the livelihoods of herding communities.
The challenge
Mongolia is home to Earth’s last intact temperate grasslands, and hosts over 4,000 rivers crucial to the water security of central and northern Asia. Livestock production by nomadic herders is a key element of the national economy. Yet the grasslands are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts such as drought and extreme cold spells, as well as to desertification due to overgrazing.
The government of Mongolia is strongly committed to conserving the country’s natural resources, and ensuring sustainable livelihoods for those that depend on them. However, it lacks the funding and technical assistance needed to reach its target of protecting 30 percent of its land by 2030.
The solution
Eternal Mongolia is an initiative by the government, The Nature Conservancy and other partners to finance the large-scale, long-term protection of the country’s ecosystems. It aims to expand the network of protected areas, strengthen its managements, and help households improve their livelihoods through sustainable natural resource management.
The initiative plans to mobilise nearly USD 200 million, whereby disbursements from the Mongolia Nature’s Legacy Foundation (MNLF), supported by the Trafigura Foundation and other donors to unlock investments from the government and foster the development of additional sources of sustainable financing, for instance from ecotourism.
Partnership impact
With the support from the Trafigura Foundation, the MNLF will make grants to partners in Mongolia such as community-based organisations, non-government organisations, and government agencies to meet milestones in conservation and community development, particularly related, but not limited to the Eternal Mongolia PFP.
It will provide technical and financial support directly to community-based organisations so they can strengthen their management of natural resources, including securing management rights on grazing grounds, developing management plans for sustainable grazing practices, and promoting activities that encourage lower herd sizes.
The initiative aims to:
- Safeguard an additional 14 million hectares of land and water to achieve the national goal of protecting 30% of Mongolia by 2030
- Strengthen the management of protected areas covering 47 million hectares
- Help 24,000 herder households to implement sustainable and climate-resilient community-managed practices in areas surrounding protected areas
Photo credits: ©TNC and Bayar Balgantseren (cover and last photos); Michael Fung (Winter horses); Tseveenravdan (community meeting); Bayanjargal Batbayar (volunteer ranger); Erdenebulgan (fire under stars)
