MINISTRY OF
ENVIRONMENT AND
GREEN DEVELOPMENT
GOBI DESERT and
Desertification in
MONGOLIA
Main natural ecosystem types
Desertification-current status
According to the statement of the UN Convention for
Combating Desertification that approx.70% of the total
landscape of Mongolia is under treat of desertification and land
degradation.
Causes of desertification
• Main causes of intensifying desertification:
• Natural factors
• Man made causes
Causes of desertification
• Natural factors:
• Changes on average air temperature (over past 70 years,
air temperature has increased by 2.1C) and fluctuation and
total amount of rainfall
• Geographical location
• Continental harsh climate
Natural factors:

The world average annual air
temperature has increased by
0.5-0.6C over past 100 years.

Ave. annual air temperature in
Mongolia has increased by
1.66C
3.0
Temperature,
2.0
 Winter temperature 3.61oC
oC
 Spring temperature 1.5oC
1.0
0.0
 Summer temperature 0.3oC
-1.0
-2.0
2000
1995
1990
1985
1980
1975
1970
1965
1960
1955
1950
1945
1940
-3.0
Causes
• Man made
causes:of
Desertification
• Pastureland utilization /traditional way of pasture use has
been neglected/
• Weak awareness on combating desertification among
public
• Exceeded current pasture capacity /pasture capacity has
exceeded by 32.5% or by 16 million head of sheep. This is
considered as the main cause of desertification/.
• Modification in population of livestock /total amount of
goat population has reached at 19.9 million and it occupies
about 46% of the total population of livestock/.
• Dried rivers and lakes due to mining and other human
activities.
• severely
affected by desert – 5.0%
• heavily affected by desertification– 18.0 %
• moderately affected by desertification– 26.0%
• lightly affected by desertification– 23.0%
Central and settlement area of 145 sub-provinces in
Gobi-steppe region is under sand movement.
The researchers has found that the 50 percent of
yellow dust sourced from South of Mongolia.
Government policy on combating
desertification
MDG based Comprehensive National Development
Policy
National Forest Program
National Water Program
National Climate Change Policy
“Green belt” National Program etc other 25 National
Programs of the Government
National Program on Combating Desertification
Priority areas of National Program on
Combating Desertification
Priority area-1
• Strengthening institutional capacity
Priority area-2
• Strengthening legislation and legal
environment
Priority area-3
• Enhancing scientific and technological
knowledge
Priority area-4
• Increasing public awareness and participation
and supporting public education
Priority area-5
• Support tangible measures at local level and
increasing investment
Constraints and issues
• Legislation on combating desertification and economic situation is
not meeting with current need and requirements.
• Strengthening and improving cross-sectoral coordination and
management.
• Insufficient planning, utilization and regulation of agricultural land,
which occupies over 70% of total landscape of Mongolia.
• Lack of financial sources to combat desertification.
• Weak capacity at local level to combat desertification
Constraints and issues
• Immature monitoring, evaluation, reaserach and information system
of desertification.
• Lack of Government incentive giving system to encourage active
involvement and initiations from public, economic entities and local
organizations in combating desertification
• Insufficient of introducing innovation and modern technologies in
restoration of abandoned areas and controlling sand movement.
• Weak law enforcement by the Government and public for controlling
illegal utilization of natural resources.
• Law level of public ecological education.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION