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PEER LEARNING: MONGOLIA AND THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC COLLABORATE TO ENHANCE GREEN FINANCE

February 27, 2021

On February 17, 2021, the Kyrgyz Republic and Mongolia launched a virtual South-South partnership, with Mongolia sharing its experience in generating green finance.

The South-South Triangular Cooperation between the two PAGE Partner Countries is providing a space to build and strengthen mutual exchange on sustainable finance, in particular utilizing the Mongolian experience in establishing the Mongolian Green Finance Corporation (MGFC) and attracting green finance to the country.

This first exchange gathered key stakeholders from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Union of Banks of the Kyrgyz Republic and resulted in an agreement to organize a regular two-way exchange and learning, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding.

A PAGE country since 2013, Mongolia has already achieved significant results, particularly in the realm of sustainable finance and can offer a model for best practices in institutions such as the MGFC, which specializes in attracting green finance. With the Kyrgyz Republic at the starting point in promoting sustainable finance for its development agenda, the experience of Mongolia can offer significant support. Among the priorities of the Kyrgyz Republic, finance for sustainable development is included in its Green Economy Development Programme as a priority action.

PAGE Receives 9 Additional Country Proposals for Green Recovery Support

November 24, 2020

Following the successful selection of five countries to receive targeted green recovery funds in November, PAGE has received additional applications from 9 partner countries. These additional program proposals have been submitted from Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Burkina Faso, Mauritius, Indonesia, Ghana, Barbados, the Kyrgyz Republic and Uruguay.

Themes within these proposals include policy assessments for fiscal support to green businesses; assessing and developing policy strategies to support sustainable consumption and production practices; green economy educational development and awareness-raising among youth; and technical support to create enabling environments for high potential SMEs in the sustainable agro-processing industry.

Funding support for green recovery through PAGE was first announced in June at the High Level Political Forum, as a further contribution from long-time PAGE partner, Germany, through the Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

The process for developing these proposals has engaged across five UN agencies along with UN Resident Coordinators and government ministries. All proposals have been developed with country-specific needs at the forefront, targeting actions that will fuel green and inclusive recoveries from the impacts of COVID-19.

Country Spotlight: Mongolia

October 27, 2020

While Mongolia joined PAGE in 2013 and graduated in 2018, it remains a key member of the PAGE family, most recently committing to a green recovery with a proposal for support through PAGE's Green Recovery Funds.

Throughout the course of the partnership, there have been a number of achievements in Mongolia, including the integration of IGE goals and targets into national economic and development planning; sectoral and thematic reforms in green buildings and construction, green finance, waste management and sustainable procurement; and strengthened institutional capacity of government institutions, the media, universities, research institutes and businesses. Building on this foundation, the new proposal includes national targeting for growth in the eco-tourism sector, in order to serve livelihoods among those hardest hit by COVID-19 impacts, such as rural communities.

The development of this proposal engaged the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, PAGE Agencies and the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Mongolia, Tapan Mishra. Continue reading for Mishra's perspective on the plans for green recovery in the country.

New Global Green Recovery Exchange: Platform for Redesign 2020

October 5, 2020

Nine PAGE countries are participating in a new centralized hub for information on planned climate and environmental policies and actions in the context of COVID-19 recovery. Launched in September, the Online Platform for Sustainable and Resilient Recovery from COVID-19 (“ Platform for Redesign 2020 ”) is under the leadership of the Ministry of the Environment Japan with support from the UNFCCC, and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES ). The countries participating from PAGE include Brazil, Burkin a Faso, China, Indonesia, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Thailand and Peru. Country pages include response, recovery, and redesign measures across sectors while a September 3rd Ministerial Meeting offered a platform for live exchange.

Mongolia and Peru a step closer to reach inclusive green economies

April 2, 2019

Two new policies integrating inclusive green economy principles have been recently approved in Mongolia and Peru, showing how PAGE support can effectively help countries to drive sustainability at the heart of policy making. Mongolia and Peru, PAGE partner countries since 2013, have undertaken long journeys towards sustainability and demonstrated a strong commitment to advance inclusive and sustainable societies where no one is left behind.

The recently approved “National Competitiveness and Productivity Policy” in Peru aims to increase and strengthen an inclusive and sustainable economic growth. The policy includes nine priorities to boost the competitiveness and productivity of the Peruvian economy by increasing social and economic infrastructures and services, investing on human capital and promoting decent work, improving access to finance, strengthening institutions and advancing sustainability and social inclusion. Among its nine priorities, the policy calls for environmental sustainability and aims to create green jobs and growth through 1) clean technologies and green industries; 2) circular economy and sound waste management and 3) bio-trade.

Furthermore, the nine priorities will lay the basis for the elaboration of a National Competitiveness and Productivity Plan that will define concrete actions and implementation measures as well provide a monitoring framework and indicators to move from policy to actions.

The approval of the policy represents a success for PAGE work in Peru, where the Partnership’s longstanding support has been focusing on the country’s green growth potential, sectoral policy reform and stakeholder engagement on green industry and green jobs, and capacity building and awareness raising in support of the inclusive green economy transition.

The National Competitiveness and Productivity Policy is indeed the result of a participatory process that brought together stakeholders from the public, private sector, academia, trade unions, international community and civil society. By bringing all actors together, the policy generated the consensus needed to define the way forward for an economic growth in the medium and long terms that will focus on social inclusion, poverty reduction and prosperity for all.

Another successful example of policy making for sustainability is the adoption of the National Policy in the Construction Sector in Mongolia. This policy represents another step towards sustainability in the country, where appropriate energy efficiency standards and a rating system for green buildings are among the priority areas of Mongolia’s National Green Development Policy (NGDP).

During the past years, PAGE has supported Mongolia in advancing its green development agenda with evidence-based policy appraisal of different options for implementation of the NGDP, and support for policy development and reform in specific sectors and thematic areas, such as green construction.

Furthermore, PAGE is supporting the formulation of a ‘business case’ for green buildings and is providing capacity development for stakeholders in the construction sector which should further foster up-take of green design elements for public and private buildings. PAGE has also contributed to the establishment of a multi-stakeholder Green Buildings Advisory Council.

The approval of the new construction policy is a confirmation of Mongolia’s commitment to a sustainable future and a signal of the country’s willingness to implement important economic reforms to advance inclusive green economy.

Find out more:

South-South Cooperation on Green Economy

September 14, 2018

14 September 2018 - South-south cooperation has gained increasing attention in recent years as a powerful mechanism to accelerate sustainable development, and as such has become a focal point of UN work. There is a growing consensus that the shared ideas, knowledge and skills promoted through these partnerships can stimulate effective solutions to common challenges and build on mutual strengths. On International South-South Cooperation Day, the 12th of September 2018, PAGE’s work in Mongolia and the Kyrgyz Republic was recognized in a report highlighting best practices in south-south and triangular cooperation throughout the entire UN system.

The Kyrgyz-Mongolian cooperation included peer-to-peer learning sessions on the development and implementation of the policy reform for green economy and the use of green technologies in business. The initiative emerged within the framework of an agreement between the International Labour Organization and the UN Institute for Training and Research – two PAGE partner agencies – to strengthen south-south cooperation between PAGE countries, which is technically and financially supported by the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ).

This is a clear example of triangular cooperation and of how countries with similar political, historical, cultural, economic and social contexts can strongly benefit from peer-to-peer learning. PAGE provides an ideal platform to facilitate this learning, by bringing together countries at varying stages of their inclusive green economic transformation. While the Kyrgyz government recognizes sustainable development as a national priority, the country is at the relatively early stages of its inclusive green economy transition. Conversely, Mongolia is transitioning towards the end of its PAGE-supported programme, and is in a strong position to share best practices and learnings from its experience.

Mongolian and Kyrgyz participants at the Kyrgyz Republic Green Economy Forum in Bishkek last year

Mongolia’s expertise and experiences have been instrumental in shaping the Kyrgyz Republic’s identification of priority areas as they green their economy, particularly in green finance, sustainable public procurement and green jobs. Due to the similarities in the national contexts, replication and adaptation of policies and practices between the two countries has been especially effective.

On the back of these exchanges and complementary PAGE advisory support and technical guidance, the Kyrgyz Republic recently passed a new Development Program that places these priorities in the fore.

The experiences between Mongolia and the Kyrgyz Republic demonstrates how fostering productive south-south relationships can strengthen and accelerate the global transition towards an inclusive green economy, and emphasizes the importance of effective partnerships, collaboration and learning that is at the heart of PAGE’s work.

For more on the south-south cooperation between Mongolia and the Kyrgyz Republic, see Page Steering Committee Meeting and Sustainability Week Take Place in Mongolia and Kyrgyz Republic: Green Economy Forum Features New Opportunities for Business from Theory to Action.

Mongolia News

August 24, 2018

Mongolia in the news

From an online course to the classroom: adapting the green fiscal reform concept to the Mongolian context

June 13, 2018

Dr. Ganzorig Gonchigsumlaa, originally from Mongolia, studied at the University of Manchester, where he obtained a Master of Science in Environmental Economics in 2010. He gained his PhD in Agricultural Economics at the Georg-August University of Goettingen, Germany in 2016.

Since then, he has become a Senior Lecturer at the Mongolian University of Life Sciences where he teaches three courses: Introduction to Economics, Cost-Benefit Analysis and Development Economics. In addition, he also has experience working with the UN System and the Mongolian government.

During the weeks of 8 September to 10 November 2017, PAGE delivered an e-learning course on green fiscal reform to meet the learning needs and build capacities of national stakeholders.

The interactive and practice-oriented course provided participants from government, business, civil society and academia with an introduction to various approaches and policy instruments for reforming government spending and revenue generation with the goal of supporting the transition to a green economy.

Ganzorig participated in the course and shares with us his experience:

"The GFR e-course was amazingly well-prepared and organized. The course plan, evaluation methods, training materials, online discussions and receiving feedback for my submitted assignments was fantastic. It was my first time taking an e-course, and I understand better now how useful it can be to take an e-course."

In terms of content, Ganzorig says he "gained knowledge related to fiscal and financial aspects of the green economy for a variety of economic sectors including agriculture and transportation."

The most important aspect of the course for him was the "chance to pool out every aspect of green fiscal reform with very practical international case studies and examples."

Among all the new concepts that he learned, one of the key takeaways is that a biggest challenge to fulfill country goals might be the financial gaps, and thanks to the e-course, he grasped this more clearly.

He encourages people who want to learn about GFR in a constructive manner to take the e-course. "The flexibility of taking the course at my pace, reading the training materials, and having homework was a good balance for me. The live discussions through the webinar was also very interesting and essentially allowed me to connect with other participants and talk about the same topic regardless of our geographical locations," he adds.

After taking the course, Ganzorig had a chance to share his knowledge through PAGE at UN Mongolia to develop a course on Green Economy and Modelling among the undergraduate students.

The team of professors at the Mongolian University of Life Sciences, National University of Mongolia, and the University of Finance and Economics in Mongolia developed the course curriculum, and lecture and seminar materials.

"I was in charge of the topics on Green Fiscal Reform: Rationale and related concepts and Green Fiscal Reform: Instruments. The two topics are translated versions of the Module 1 and 2 of the GFR e-course; in addition to, a few more cases focused on the context of Mongolia. This is evidence that the course was beneficial to the participants, like myself, who can later evolve the concepts to reach more people," he concludes.

Building the Future Leaders of Green and Inclusive Development in Mongolia

March 23, 2018

March 2018, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia -

What do you think is the most popular course among architecture students at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST)? It’s a course on green buildings.

“Even former students are asking us if they can take the course,” says B. Munkhbayar, a Senior Lecturer at MUST.

The interest in the course reflects a broader shift in the building sector in Mongolia where energy efficient buildings are more and more in demand.

“Currently, the manufacturing and construction sectors consume 60 percent of total electricity and 24 percent of the heat. The building heat loss is about 30 percent – we want to change this,” says L. Batjargal, Director of Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Construction and Urban Development (MCUD).

The National Green Development Policy sets a target for reducing heat loss through buildings by 20 percent by 2020 and by 40 percent by 2030. To achieve this, MCUD is working on a green building code and rating system and is revamping its construction sector policy, with support by PAGE, the International Finance Cooperation (IFC) and a Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) project.

Constant Van Aerschot, who advises the Government on the new construction sector policy on behalf of PAGE highlights: “It is important to not only think about individual buildings but also about energy supply and urban planning as a whole.”

Arab Hoballah, Team Leader, SWITCH-Asia SCP Facility adds: “The goal needs to be sustainable housing and resource efficient cities, considering relevant consumption and production patterns, if we want to have a transformative impact.”

A new morning for Mongolian cities? The Government is promoting more resource-efficient and inclusive urban development.

Back to B. Munkhbayar and the education sector. The green building course offered by MUST is not the only green-economy related course run by Mongolian universities.

With support from PAGE, the National University of Mongolia (NUM), the Mongolian University of Life Sciences (MULS) and the University of Finance and Economics (UFE) are developing a new undergraduate course on green economy and macro-economic modelling, to be launched in 2018. A new course on sustainable finance is planned to be piloted next year, in partnership with the Mongolian Sustainable Finance Association (MSFA), IFC and PAGE.

Mongolian universities are joining forces to green their operations and educational offer.

“When I first came to Mongolia in 2015, the higher education sector was not yet much involved in the green and sustainable development agenda. There were a few initiatives but I think the momentum created over the past two to three years is quite remarkable,” says Amrei Horstbrink, a Green Development Specialist at the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).

Beyond the launch of new courses, universities are joining forces to green their campuses and are planning to work on a submission to the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Furthermore, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports is focusing the new higher education policy on sustainable development to encourage universities to green their teaching and operations. S. Munkhbat, Adviser to the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports points out: “We are aiming to increase investments into higher education to contribute to a shift towards sustainable development”.

If university students are becoming leaders in society they need to fully integrate the concept of sustainable development. And this is not just as a matter of principle, as Cristina Martinez from the International Labor Organization (ILO) highlights: “We estimate that by 2030, 14 million jobs will be created in climate change mitigation in Asia – most of them for high skilled labor, i.e. both university and vocational education graduates.”

By greening their educational offer, the Mongolian universities are not only preparing their students to be better citizens but also to be competitive in a changing labor market.

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PAGE started its engagement in Mongolia in 2013, supporting the development of the National Green Development Policy which was approved by Parliament in 2014. Over the past four and a half years, PAGE has supported Mongolia in advancing its green development agenda with evidence-based policy appraisal using system dynamics modelling, analysis of different options for implementation of the NGDP, and support for policy development and reform in specific sectors and thematic areas, such as green construction, sustainable public procurement, green economy learning, sustainable finance, waste management and trade. In the week of 12 March 2018, a series of 10 meetings and workshops took place to advance technical work under the different thematic workstreams and to discuss with national and international partners how to ensure sustainability of the work supported by PAGE.

PAGE small grants programme fosters local green economy initiatives in Mongolian provinces

February 27, 2018

27 February 2018, Erdenet, Mongolia - For decades the only source of lighting at the regional public hospital in Mongolia’s Orkhon province came from high-energy inefficient bulbs that did not meet health and safety standards.

“I was hospitalized twice last year and stayed in the rehabilitation section of the hospital. When I first stayed the lighting was bad, some bulbs and lights were not working properly and those working bulbs did not have sufficient lights. It was always dark,” said S. Baljinnyam, an elderly patient.

The hospital in Erdenet, Orkhon’s capital city, is solely dependent on the province’s budget which usually falls short for routine maintenance, as is the case for many of Mongolia’s hospitals. But thanks to a small project grant awarded by the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) following a tender competition in 2017, the hospital was able to install LED lights in some areas and slash its annual energy costs, funded by the province, by an estimated 55 per cent. The diagnostic and medical center selected Erdenet-based And Energy LCC, the only Mongolian producer of LED lighting, to replace the old light bulbs, thereby fostering local green jobs.

“With LED lighting we have improved our energy efficiency, improved our cleaning, and provided a better and safer environment for our patients and staff,” said hospital director, B. Batsukh.

Mongolian and Swedish Students Discuss an Inclusive Green Economy

December 22, 2017

20 December 2017, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - Students from Lund University in Sweden and three Mongolian universities connected via video-conference on 20 December 2017 for a dialogue on how young people can contribute to an inclusive green economy. The students in Mongolia are from the National University of Mongolia, the University of Commerce and Business, the MB Park and GAIN. The Swedish students are part of the International Masters Programme in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science (LUMES).

The group discussed environmental issues Mongolia and Sweden are facing, as well as initiatives by students in both countries to advance green and sustainable development. For example, in the case of Lund, students managed to convince the university management to divest from fossil fuels and invest in renewable energies instead. In the case of Mongolia, the students are likewise actively engaged in a series of initiatives, including a project that aims at transforming a former landfill. At the end of the dialogue, the students exchanged views on professional opportunities in the area of green and sustainable development. Both sides see growing job opportunities both in the public and private sectors. For example, in the case of Mongolia, more and more companies are hiring ‘ecology managers’ to green their production chains.

Transforming Lives and Lifestyles Through Education and the Green Economy

October 9, 2017

Blog by Angus Mackay - Manager of UNITAR's Climate Change Programme

19 September 2017, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - There can be no question that Mongolia has international visibility and a reputation that far surpasses what might be expected from a country with a population of little over 3 million and a per capita national income of 3,800 dollars. It is remarkable, that is, until you actually visit for the first time.

Mongolia is cold, it is vast in size and, not so long ago, inherited a Soviet industrial complex ill equipped for a more socially and environmentally conscious 21st century. With an economy that is largely based on the extractive industry it takes today about 17 kilos of natural resources to generate 1 dollar value in economic output. When compared to a global average closer to 2 kilos per dollar of economic output, this is incredibly wasteful.

Yet the people are pragmatic and action oriented, mixed in with just the right amount of (justifiable) national pride. And so there hasn’t had to be too much debate about whether or not reforms are necessary. From the purchase of government paperclips, to the design of public buildings, to the diversification of its industries, Mongolia is going green.

As part of a programme of support provided by the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), the UN and its partners has been working with the government to think through what this ‘greening’ could mean in practice, so as to transform the economy towards greater modernity, sustainability and fairness for all.

“He who wants to build high must dig deep” so the Mongolia proverb goes. Noone under-estimates the scale of the challenge and that it will require an unprecedented national effort. Everyone will have their part to play.

Very much with this sentiment in mind, the great and the good in higher education recently met at an event, co-hosted by the Ministries of Environment and Education and the PAGE partnership, under a suitably large and resplendent banner that read “Mongolian Universities for Sustainable Development”.

The hall was packed out right until the very end, when formal presentations gave way to active discussion on how to take action. Most significantly educators felt that all levels in the education system should teach the sustainability message, not just the higher levels. Green and pleasant campuses were seen as vital for the retention of knowledge and to promote behaviours conducive to learning. All agreed that national universities should work together on these issues through a national coordinating body that would facilitate creative ideas and the sharing of experience.

As part of PAGE, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is proud to have been present at this event and to be working with the government and leading universities in considering how Mongolia’s education sector should play its part by preparing coming generations for a greener and fairer future.

As an outsider one is struck both by the quality and maturity of the exchange; for here was a group of highly motivated, right thinking people who never for a moment question the idea that we all bear responsibility for our actions and that we are all fully accountable to future generations. No wonder Mongolia’s reputation precedes it. I’ll bet that by 2050 Mongolia will be one of the ‘go to’ places on the planet.

PAGE Steering Committee Meeting and Sustainability Week take place in Mongolia

September 29, 2017

18 – 22 September 2017, Ulannbaatar, Mongolia - As the first country to join the PAGE partnership, Mongolia stands as a beacon for other nations wishing to pursue a green economic growth trajectory. Through the dedication of stakeholders across the economy, including government, private sector, academia and civil society, Mongolia has made significant progress in aligning national policies and targets with inclusive green economy principles, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

During the week of 18-22 September, the Government of Mongolia hosted a series of thematic events, meetings with national partners, and the PAGE Steering Committee Meeting – a biannual meeting of representatives from the PAGE Management Board and Funding Partners. The week highlighted the important role of a cross-sectoral approach towards green economy, and the significance of interministerial coordination towards a shared national green and sustainable development vision.

A delegation from Kyrgyz Republic, which joined PAGE in 2016, participated in several events throughout the week in order to learn from Mongolia’s experience in green economy policy reform. The delegation, led by Green Economy Advisor to the Minister of Economy, Kylych Djakypov, will incorporate best practices and lessons learned from the PAGE programme in Mongolia into their planning for a green economy in Kyrgyz Republic.

Mongolian News Agency Montsame captured key messages at a Press Conference held by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. Watch the video here. At the Press Conference, Deputy Ministry of Environment and Tourism Ts. Batbayar highlighted findings of a Policy Brief prepared by PAGE on “Turning Challenges into Opportunities."

The events received wide coverage in the Mongolian media. Please find a list of media coverage here.

Thematic events on key workstreams

On 18 September, the Ministry of Finance hosted a Technical Meeting on “Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP): Actions and Future Plans," co-hosted by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and PAGE. The technical meeting presented the ongoing work on SPP, including a proposed legal amendment, an Action Plan on SPP, and SPP tools, including standards, eco-labelling, life cycle analysis, among others.

Ms. T. Bulgan, Director General of Green Development Policy and Planning, Ministry of Environment and Tourism provides welcome remarks at the Technical Meeting on Sustainable Public Procurement

On 19 September, the National Development Agency hosted a “Stakeholders Roundtable on Harnessing Trade Opportunities in Transition to a Green Economy in Mongolia”, co-hosted by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and PAGE. The Roundtable presented ongoing work in trade, including on identification of trade opportunities, agricultural development, export competitiveness, green production and green supply chains.

Deputy Ministry of Environment and Tourism Ts. Batbayar gives opening remarks

Following the Roundtable on trade, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports hosted a partnership event “Mongolian Universities for Sustainable Development”. The event identified key actions to scale-up initiatives to strengthen the contribution of higher education to sustainable development. 130 policy makers, public officials, administrators, managers and lecturers of national universities, as well as students and student organizations participated in the event.

Learning from National Partners

In addition to these thematic events, the week also included a series of meetings with national partners Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Construction and Urban Development, the Economic Policy Competitiveness and Research Center, and a private bank, Golomt Bank, active in the Mongolian Bankers Association. Minister of Environment and Tourism D. Oyunkhorol affirmed her support for the green economy pathway in Mongolia, and noted that the PAGE partnership has been an important driver of inclusive and low-resource growth. Deputy Ministry of Finance Kh. Bulgantuya highlighted PAGE’s role in supporting interministerial coordination and evidence-based policy assessment.

D. Oyunkhorol, Minister of Environment and Tourism hosts representatives from the PAGE Steering Committee and the delegation from Kyrgyz Republic

Deputy Ministry of Finance Kh. Bulgantuya discusses PAGE support on workstreams in sustainable public procurement and macroeconomic modelling

Mr. Batjargal, Director General, Ministry of Construction and Urban Development and private sector representatives discuss energy efficient and green building in Mongolia

PAGE Steering Committee Meeting

The Steering Committee Meeting was held over two afternoons on the 20-21 of September. The first session, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focused on Mongolia’s achievements thus far under PAGE. The second session, held at the UN offices in Ulaanbaatar, focused on planning for the PAGE programme in the coming year across the 13 PAGE partner countries and globally, and on refining PAGE operations and model for supporting a global transition to green economy.

UN Resident Coordinator Beate Trankmann provides opening remarks at the PAGE Steering Committee Meeting, hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

What next?

Throughout the week, Government and PAGE partners advanced planning for the sustainability of these initiatives and workstreams past the PAGE programme. Government ownership, collaboration with partners, and institutionalization of knowledge will ensure that Mongolia’s journey to green economy continues to advance. Mongolia remains a model for PAGE partner countries, as well as across the globe, for its impressive leadership towards a green and inclusive future.

Mongolia Bankers Association Announces Next Steps Towards Mongolia Green Credit Fund

September 15, 2017

Blog by Altatsetseg Sodnomtseren - PAGE National Coordinator Mongolia

14 September 2017, Ulannbaatar, Mongolia - Today, we are celebrating a milestone achievement in Mongolia’s journey toward sustainability. It is with great pride we announce the next step towards the launch of the Mongolia Green Credit Fund, a national financing vehicle that will provide long-term finance to projects and programs that stimulate green growth. The MGCF is led by the Mongolian Bankers Association, and holds the special distinction in Mongolia as our first green financing institution. Its establishment came after detailed action plans of a working group, which consulted with instrumental players within and outside Mongolia, including the United Nations Partnership for Action on Green Economy, UN Environment Financial Initiative, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).

Today, we are excited that its core funding will be used to further sustainability in four green development areas that matter to Mongolia: energy, housing, waste management and sanitation. The Mongolian Ministry of Environment and Tourism authority will play oversight roles on the investment projects and programmes within the remit of the fund. The launch of the funds moves us closer to sustainable development, given the challenges identified in our transition to a green economy: “Mongolia has developed dramatically in the last two decades, but the economic side has excelled compared to its social and environmental development.” – Davaakhuu Tumurkhuu, Mongolia Bankers Association.

Today, we are starting a process to unlock green financing at scale. The MGCF enables the development of bankable funding proposals to help Mongolia excel on the social and environmental fronts. In 2013, Mongolia became the first country to join a partnership of five UN agencies known as the Partnership for Action on Green Economy. As a result, Mongolia committed to place sustainability at the heart of its economic policies and then developed a Sustainable Development Vision in 2016, which among other objectives, commits Mongolia to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 14% by 2030. With our current development plans, we are also placed to advance the 2030 Agenda, and achieve positive climate targets in the Paris Agreement. The MGCF now enables a key source of financing – reinforced by the Green Climate Fund – to support these sustainable development plans.

Today, we reflect on our journey toward this launch announcement. The Mongolian Bankers Association organized the 1st Sustainable Finance Forum in 2013. The 2016 Forum on “Sustainable Development 2030: From Planning to Action” attracted 300 delegates from government, international organizations and the private sector. The forum resolved to advance the sustainable finance initiative, including through the establishment of the Mongolian Green Credit Fund together with the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the Ministry of Finance and international partners - PAGE, IFC and GGGI.

Today, we also recognize the 5th Mongolian Sustainable Finance Forum held on September 14, 2017 at Shangri-La Hotel in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The Forum focused on the theme: “Fostering Partnerships to Scale Up Sustainable Finance”. Mr. Erik Solheim, Executive Director of UN Environment made the keynote speech, having paid an official visit at the invitation of the Government of Mongolia. The Forum was hosted by the Mongolian Bankers Association, in cooperation with Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Arig Bank, IFC, GGGI, BMZ, UN Environment, PAGE, UNDP-Biofin, the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Mongolia, the Financial Regulatory Commission, Ulaanbaatar City Mayor's Office, and the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI).

Today, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed among the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Ministry of Finance, Mongolian Bankers Association and Global Green Growth Institute on establishing the Green Credit Fund. The MoU aims to maximize financing with preferential conditions to the financial market, to reduce interest rate, to develop green investment methods, to efficiently use natural resources, to reduce air, environmental pollutions and greenhouse gas emission, and to boost environmentally friendly economic development.

Today, we are assured the 5th Mongolian Sustainable Finance Forum has helped to accelerate momentum on the green economy. In his opening speech Mr. O. Orkhon, the President of Mongolian Bankers Association affirmed that the “United Nations is standing with us and supporting us." The Minister of Environment and Tourism Ms. D. Oyunkhorol highlighted that PAGE has provided continued support to Mongolia since the country joined PAGE in 2013 and took the opportunity to express her gratitude to Mr. Erik Solheim for UN’s full support through PAGE. She added that Mongolia has requested to UN Environment to join the BreatheLife campaign, an initiative by UN Environment and World Health Organization. At the Forum. Ms. Bulgantuya, the Vice-Minister of Finance confirmed that the Mongolian Government sees tremendous opportunity for the MGCF to mobilise private sector funding for sustainable development and believes in its future. She also highlighted the Government of Mongolia is considering the establishment of state-led Mongolian Green Development Fund that will oversee green projects and programmes to be funded through development financing as well as from the state budget and offer a source of support to the privately-led MGCF.

Today’s announcement about the MGCF launch is a testament to the power of multiple, collaborative stakeholders to achieve results for Mongolia’s green development. Today, we are more confident about Mongolia’s transition to a green future. PAGE supported establishment and operations of the joint working group, an assessment to determine the market demand for green lending on various projects and the Forum. This was led by the Mongolian Bankers Association. The results of the assessment gives us confidence about the future impact of the MGCF. Bankers have been discovering who wants green finance—and why. They also reviewed key legal, regulatory and tax structures, before developing the concept note for a green credit fund in Mongolia. The findings were presented to the Cabinet and support from the administration has been instrumental to steps leading to the launch of the Mongolia Green Credit Fund.

Read the full Mongolian Sustainable Finance Forum 2017 Final Report

Training helps Mongolia harness trade opportunities on their path to green economy

July 4, 2017

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - PAGE, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia and the National Development Agency organized a two-day training on “Green economy, sustainable production and trade opportunities” on 29-30 May 2017 in Ulaanbaatar. The training brought together more than 60 participants from government ministries, the private sector, higher education, and civil society. The training was divided into 5 sessions with focuses on the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development, nexuses between trade, environment and sustainable development, agricultural value chains and trade, frameworks for trade, and international best practices. Within these sessions, the topics discussed ranged from green trade concepts, eco labelling, organic agriculture, sustainability standards, and eco-tourism to how to best devise regional trade agreements and create market access opportunities for developing countries.

In addition to UN Environment, the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) also joined the training where they presented their knowledge on products and databases relating to sustainable trade. Participants were then divided into five groups for in-depth discussions on trade opportunities arising from organic agriculture, eco-tourism, renewable energy, and livestock products, and had the opportunity to discuss their ideas on the export potential of products such as meat and milk, hides and leather, wool, cashmere and knitted garments.

The training was followed by an experts’ workshop on “Sustainable Development and Trade Opportunities for Mongolia”, bringing together nearly 100 participants from government ministries, National Meat Producers Association, Dairy Product Association, Tourism Association, as well as companies and local producers. At this time, the Vice Minister of Environment and Tourism Mr. Ts. Batbayar delivered an opening address that highlighted green trade opportunities in Mongolia driven by the “Industrialization” Strategy, “Mongolian Export” Initiative and “Mongol Branding” programme, as well as ongoing and potential trade agreements with key trading partners.

The training and workshop kick started the new PAGE project on “Harnessing Trade Opportunities in Transition to A Green Economy in Mongolia” in an effort to develop a Mongolian green trade policy. Jointly implemented by the Environment and Trade Hub of UN Environment, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the National Development Agency, this project aims to improve the knowledge and capacity of the country to identify and harness green trade opportunities and to also support and complement Mongolia’s efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda and national development policies. Inputs gathered from this workshop will be incorporated into a stocktaking study of Green Trade opportunities and challenges in Mongolia with concrete policy recommendations for future development.

Looking to the future, the government of Mongolia will continue to build its trade policy, which can help the country move closer to a green economy. In 2016, the newly formed government developed its Action Program to be implemented for the period of 2016-2020 with a main objective to revitalize the economy within a short period of time, promote growth, support social sectors, and increase the income of the exports of non-mining sectors and diversify the economy. Since export programme is currently being developed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia and the National Development Agency, PAGE's new trade workshops can help provide Mongolia with additional training and expertise on green trade to inform these new policies.

Agenda, syllabus of the training, presentations: http://nda.gov.mn/1193.html

Agenda and report of the workshop, presentations: http://nda.gov.mn/1192.html

Better Together: Mongolian Universities Join Forces to Prepare Students for A Green Economy

June 20, 2017

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Higher education is a competitive market. Universities find themselves in a race for staff, students, and research funds. While healthy to a certain extent, the American University Innovation Alliance warns that competition can “impede institutions' ability to achieve collective impact, diffuse innovation, and drive needed changes in higher education”. How does this play out in a country like Mongolia, where 16 public and 80 private higher education institutions are in operation? “Over the past 25 years each university has basically worked by itself,” states Prof. B. Tuvshintugs, Head of the Economics Department at the National University Mongolia. The last time he has seen major collaboration among universities was after the end of the Soviet Union when business schools were trying to come to grips with how to teach subjects like marketing and capital markets.

Students at the National University of Mongolia

Since a few months a new issue is fuelling cross-university collaboration. Economics and finance departments from different universities have picked up the concept of ‘green development’ and are jointly exploring options for incorporating relevant approaches in their course offerings. The engagement of the universities reflects a broader change in the development agenda of the country, encapsulated in Mongolia’s Sustainable Development Vision and the National Green Development Policy. By 2030 Mongolia “aspires to be amongst leading middle-income countries with stable and democratic governance and a multi-sector economy, which preserves ecological balance”. Higher education plays a critical role in leading the social and economic transformation needed to achieve this vision.

Ms. Bulgan, Director for Green Development at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism is advocating for a stronger role of higher education institutions in green development.

Prof. Bat conducted a survey among 100 students and faculty about opportunities and challenges in teaching green economy.

“The basic concepts are there, however there is a need to align university programmes with the skills needs of potential employers, such as commercial banks and government agencies,” explains Prof. B. Bat from the National University of Mongolia, who has conducted a feasibility study on integrating green economy approaches in university programmes. He stands in front of a group of 60 people from academia, government ministries and the private sector who have come to develop action plans for creating new courses on ‘sustainable finance’ and ‘green economy and macro-economic modelling’ and incorporate relevant issues in existing programmes. One of the findings of his study is the importance of continuous training for professors and lecturers. 68% of the surveyed students indicated that the most important factor that influences training quality is teaching methodology and lecturer’s skills.

High-Level Meeting on Mongolia's Pathway to Sustainable and Green Development

October 31, 2016

Geneva, 31 October 2016 - A high-level meeting took place on November 24 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to discuss Mongolia's pathway to sustainable and green development, with a focus on strengthening coordination and up-scaling finance.

The meeting “Mongolia’s Pathway to Sustainable and Green Development” was organised by the Prime Minister's Office of Mongolia, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, and the Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with PAGE, Education for Sustainable Development, the Global Green Growth Institute, the Mongolian Banker's Association, and the International Finance Corporation.

Today, Mongolia, a PAGE partner country since 2013, is experiencing the challenges of decreasing economic growth, foreign and domestic investment and weak economic activities. Nevertheless, the Mongolian Government believes that continuous efforts towards global development trends for sustainable and green development will help the country to overcome these challenges and stabilise growth by strengthening partnership between the Government, the private sector, civil society and international organisations.

Mobilising funds and resources from global capital and financial markets, creating an enabling environment for green business operations, transforming to environmentally friendly and resource efficient green industry, expanding trade opportunities for Mongolian products and creating and expanding decent job opportunities in Mongolia form the basis for Mongolia’s green development strategy.

Along with the high-level meeting, there was a consultative meeting for "Leadership in Development Planning and Implementation" for Aimag (provincial)-level government officials on the same day.

Additionally, the Mongolian Banker's Association, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, and Golomt Bank, in partnership with PAGE and other stakeholders and supporters, hosted the Mongolian Sustainable Finance Forum the following day, November 25.

The meeting was dedicated to bringing high-level policymakers and other stakeholders together to initiate a dialogue on development policy coherence, institutions, and governance for sustainable development.

It focused on:

Mongolia’s long-term development policies, institutions and governance capacities, progress, actions, and challenges;
Views on development financing system including public and private, national and international funding, banking and financial sector initiatives;
Views on further strengthening developing new ways of collaborating with international partners;
Views on the role and contribution of international development partners for inclusive and sustainable economic growth, creation of decent and green jobs and reducing poverty;
Proposals for collaboration on joint projects and mobilisation of financial resources.

Deliverables:

An integrated approach for institutional coordination and financial system developmen;
A common position on favourable legal, regulatory, tax and trade environment for greening the industry and creating green jobs in Mongolia;
A Joint Declaration of Partnership for Sustainable and Green Development agreed upon by key partners for collaboration;
A national program for sustainable and green education agreed upon to be developed and approved in the near future; and
A proposal for collaboration between government and development partners.

Mongolia and PAGE turn crisis into opportunity

October 1, 2016

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 09 October 2016 - The last five years have been a rocky ride for Mongolia. The country’s economy grew by 17 per cent in 2011, riding high on the wave of a commodities boom, but suffered when commodity prices crashed and neighbouring China’s economy started to cool.

Mongolia faces significant fiscal challenges combined with environmental and social challenges, such as air pollution, public transport provision, and increasing inequality. But the rebound in commodity prices this year, along with supportive government decisions, could give investor confidence a cautious boost.

In the midst of crisis, however, Mongolia’s government saw opportunity, committing itself to exploring options for alternative economic growth based on environmental sustainability and social inclusiveness.

Mongolia became the first country to join PAGE in 2013, determined to place sustainability at the centre of its economic policies. Since then, PAGE has helped the country develop various codes, standards, policies, inventories and implement policy in collaboration with the relevant national authorities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public procurement processes.

In 2014, the Parliament of Mongolia approved the National Green Development Policy and in January 2016 it approved an Action Plan to implement it.

PAGE has since been helping the government unite and align national and international, public and private finance and investment players, supporting them in their efforts to give the Action Plan legs.

The initiative will develop green and inclusive financial products and services, such as green bonds, to direct private finance towards projects that benefit the society and the environment. PAGE is working with the banking sector, the Mongolian Sustainable Finance Initiative and the UN Environment Finance Initiative to identify the opportunities for boosting green finance.

Partnerships for schools and the steady progress to green economies

The first area in which policy has begun to hit the ground is in the “greening” of buildings— one of the most important aspects of planning for any city aspiring to green growth because of its long lock-in horizons.

In this, too, the country found an opportunity: the anticipated need to house 526,000 school children in 2016 offered a chance for the government to develop sustainable state‑owned school buildings.

The greening of school and kindergarten buildings agrees with its Green Development Policy, which includes the introduction of a rating system for green building, energy, technology and standards. The goal is to reduce heat loss from buildings by 20 per cent by 2020, and 40 per cent by 2030. It is also to increase the share of renewable energy in its mix to 20 per cent in 2020 and 30 per cent in 2030. Heating supply accounts for 40 per cent of gross energy consumption, in a country where winter temperatures of minus 20°C (minus 4°F) are normal and wind chill can drive this down even further. Heating is needed nine months of the year, driving up annual per capita greenhouse gas emissions despite the relatively low national emissions .

To address these challenges, the UN Environment under PAGE and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) partnered with the government of Mongolia to prepare guidelines develop the design and prototype for green school buildings, which can be applied to the 1,200 schools that need to be built over the next five to seven years. These will follow sustainable design principles and have at their heart a cradle-to-grave life cycle approach that will see them built with safe, sustainable building materials.

Schools are just the entry point, a first step— the process should ultimately evolve into a national Green Building Rating System.

Partnerships like those under PAGE often help create and maintain the political and private sector momentum for the long-term, but a sustained effort is needed to build and bring together all the interlinked aspects of a green economy.

Sustainable lifestyles and economies will never be achieved in silos. It’s a lesson policymakers at all levels have learned over the centuries— what is successful in one policy area could spell disaster for another.

In the era of the all-encompassing Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, strengthening in-country alignment is crucial to accelerating the transition towards an inclusive green economy and realizing these agreements.

Stronger and innovative partnerships are key to mobilising and sharing knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources at the national level.

This trio— PAGE, GGGI and UN Environment— also bring together their complementary expertise to support Colombia and Peru in pursuit of their national agendas for greener and more inclusive economies.

The three organisations showcased these partnerships in Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, on 8 September 2016, as part of Green Growth Global Week 2016, whose aim is to identify practical, innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and strengthen partnerships that deliver growth that is pro-poor, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable.

The event was attended by ministers and senior officials from over 50 countries, over 500 executives from the private sector and financial institutions as well as the heads of many multilateral development banks and regional UN Agencies.

MONGOLIA: SDGs and NATURAL RESOURCE INDICATORS WORKSHOP AND TRAINING

May 25, 2016

Mongolia, 25 May 2016 - The National Registration and Statistics Office of Mongolia (NRSO), jointly with PAGE, Ministry of Environment, Green Development and Tourism and Ministry of Finance, organized a 3-day event on 23-25 May 2016.

The event started with the workshop “SDGs and Natural Resource related indicators” which was attended by sixty policy makers, government officers, members of academia, think tanks, researchers and practitioners from a broad range of organizations. The workshop aimed to explore, exchange views and provide recommendations on recent policy development in Mongolia, focusing on coherence between different policies, existing tools and mechanisms for policy monitoring and review. Participants discussed practical implementation of an SDG monitoring framework, including SDG indicators, natural resource efficiency indicators, methodology, data availability and institutional capacities challenges.

During the morning session, participants discussed harmony between national and sectoral policy documents and the global agenda for sustainable development. Presenters from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Environment, Green Development and Tourism focused on Mongolia’s long term policy documents – the Sustainable Development Vision and Green Development Policy of Mongolia - and their alignment with 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, while officers from the Ministry of Mining and the Ministry of Energy provided a sectoral perspective on mining and energy policies and their importance for Mongolia’s economic growth and social development.

Mongolia is a country whose economy is based on natural resources, in particular mineral resources. Even though the minerals’ commodity prices have fallen on the international market the mining sector alone made 18% of the state budget revenue, 17% of the national GDP, 80% of the production of the industrial sector in 2015. The Government of Mongolia has recently approved the State Policy on the Minerals Sector, updated the law on investment and amended the law on minerals. Despite this significant progress, the Government of Mongolia is facing continued challenges to remain competitive in the sector in the global market, and needs to take measures to expand the railway network, improve the supply of the energy sources, solve transit transportation issues, and improve taxation policies. It was also noted that the material footprint from the mining industry is high, therefore the indicators to monitor environmental impacts need to be well developed.

Mr. B, Yeren-Ulzii from the Ministry of Energy highlighted that approximately 80% of the consumed electricity is generated in coal-fired power plants, 4% is produced by diesel generators and 3% by renewable energy sources (mainly hydropower). The remaining 13% is imported, mainly from the Russian Federation. The State Policy on Energy (2015) outlines energy sector development for 2015-2030 including electricity and heat production, transmission, distribution and consumption as well as the fuel supply sector. In the policy document, priority areas for the energy sector have been identified as safety, efficiency and environment, and the policy further elaborates support to innovation and advanced technology in energy sector, implementation of a conservation policy, increasing the production share of renewables and reducing negative environmental impacts from traditional power generation. It has also been highlighted that Mongolia has rich resources of solar, wind and hydro and can be competitive in the region to provide renewable energy.

The afternoon sessions focused on indicators for sustainable consumption and production, resource efficiency and green economy, and their applicability in Mongolia. Ms. Janet Salem from UNEP explained that natural resources such as water, water, energy and emissions are the basis of all social and economic activities, and that indicators for resource efficiency inform issues and trends, help agenda setting, ensure informed public debate, underpin policy goals and policy statements in the form of targets, and measure progress in achieving policy objectives. The natural resource indicators include indicators for natural resource use, resource productivity, consumption, trade dependency, eco-efficiency of production and adjusted resource productivity.

Indicators are valuable tools for tracking progress on policy priorities and targets, and for monitoring outcomes and impacts. At the national and sectoral levels Mongolia has adopted a number of important policies and plans to promote the SDGs and an inclusive green economy. Monitoring and evaluating these policy instruments is essential to ensuring the successful implementation of national goals and the global sustainability agenda. The Mongolian Government has recently established 9 working groups to develop SDGs and Sustainable Development Vision indicators for measuring progress. Over 280 indicators have been proposed at the initial stage and these indicators will be reviewed and updated in the coming months.

Following the workshop, NRSO Mongolia will organise the 2-day technical training on physical flow accounts. The training will be led by Mr. James West from CSIRO.

See the link below:

http://ubseg.gov.mn/content/1309#.V0SGnjUrLIU

Upcoming event: Mongolia - Green Credit Fund Working Group Kick-off Meeting

April 26, 2016

The Mongolian Bankers Association, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Green Development and Tourism of Mongolia, PAGE, the UNEP Finance Initiative and the Global Green Growth Institute is organizing a kick-off meeting of the Green Credit Fund Working Group on 12 May 2016. The meeting will bring together representatives from the Government, banking sector and international development agencies to inform stakeholders about recent policy developments at the global and national levels, officially launch the Joint Working Group for the Green Credit Fund, and agree upon an Action Plan for next steps.

Mongolia has committed to an inclusive green economy development path by approving the national Green Development Policy in 2014 and the Action Plan for its implementation in 2016. The transition to a green and inclusive economy will require the crucial collaboration of the Government, international partners and the private sector, especially the financial sector. The Mongolian Bankers Association (MBA), being at the forefront of the banking and financing sector, is a key Government partner for ensuring sustainability principles at the heart of financing and promoting a public-private dialogue and advocacy on SDG-related issues including sustainable consumption and production, industry innovation, affordable clean energy and green jobs.

In 2016, PAGE will provide support for regular consultative meetings and discussions to promote the establishment of a Green Credit Fund, conducting a market study (demand side) for green financing and organising the Sustainable Finance Forum. Furthermore, PAGE is planning to collaborate with Mongolian universities to identify opportunities for integrating sustainable finance knowledge and tools into university curriculums. As a part of this support, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) will help Mongolian universities set up a “Center of Excellence” for the design of modules and training and educational materials inclusive of sustainable finance concepts.

The Center will also support the creation of a national pool of lecturers and researchers with knowledge on sustainable finance. PAGE envisions this support will enable universities to prepare future professionals to understand and apply the fundamentals of sustainability in the finance sector.