Historic Conservation Plan Protects People and Planet

Mongolia has launched one of the most ambitious land protection efforts in its history, pledging to conserve 30% of its territory through a 15-year plan that supports both nature and nomadic livelihoods.

“Climate change is here,” said former environment minister Bat-Erdene Bat-Ulzii. “Mongolians are already experiencing more frequent and severe climate-induced disasters like harsh winters, droughts and dust storms.”

The Eternal Mongolia plan, backed by $200 million in government and global funding, will expand protected areas by 35 million acres, strengthen sustainable herding, and safeguard carbon-rich grasslands and peatlands vital to the planet’s climate balance. Working with herders, scientists and conservation groups, Mongolia is proving that cultural heritage and environmental resilience can grow hand in hand across its vast, wind-swept plains.