Mongolia and EU to expand cooperation in sustainable forest management
AKIPRESS.COM – Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change Munkhtamir Batbayar held a meeting with Head of the European Union Delegation to COP17 and Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment Patrick Child, Ambassador of the EU to Mongolia Ina Marčiulionytė and other officials to discuss expanding cooperation in forest rehabilitation, sustainable forest management, and climate change mitigation on August 27.
During the meeting, the Mongolian side highlighted the EU as a vital partner in climate action, sustainable development and the forestry sector. It was noted that the EU-Mongolia Forest Partnership, launched in 2022 and aligned with Mongolia’s “One Billion Trees” national movement, serves as a crucial policy foundation for forest protection, rehabilitation, and sustainable utilization.
The discussion also emphasized ongoing cooperation with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and potential financing opportunities to support sustainable forest management and the bioeconomy.
Additionally, the Mongolian delegation presented its plan to implement the “Steppe Action Agenda” as a policy legacy of the COP17 conference to generate concrete project and investment opportunities.
Under this framework, the two sides discussed collaborating on pastureland rehabilitation and boosting herders’ livelihood resilience, implementing integrated water and land management, and incorporating nature-based solutions into infrastructure planning and investment.
Mongolia expressed interest in aligning these initiatives with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy as well as its climate and biodiversity targets. In turn, the European Union reiterated its commitment to deepening post-COP17 cooperation centered on investment, tangible implementation, and ecological restoration results.
