Ulaanbaatar
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Mongolia and the Global Land Initiative to Cooperate in Combating Desertification and Land Degradation
Environment
Ulaanbaatar, June 10, 2025 /MONTSAME/. On June 5, 2025, representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Mongolia met with Director of the Coordination Office of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and Director of the G20 Global Land Initiative Muralee Thummarukudy.
At the meeting, the two sides agreed to expand cooperation in reforestation and combating desertification and land degradation, and intensify preparations to begin collaboration based on sustainable management practices aimed at reducing land degradation in Mongolia.
Planned initiatives include establishing a national center for training land restoration professionals, strengthening capacity for land restoration, reducing land degradation, as well as integrating land rehabilitation modules into university curricula, implementing model restoration projects in aimags including Khentii and Gobi-Altai, and conducting research involving G20 experts. Additionally, the two sides will work together to exchange expertise in formulating a draft Law on Combating Desertification, connect start-ups focused on land restoration with international investment and networking opportunities, and co-organize activities such as Model United Nations and a photography competition. During the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), which will be held in Mongolia in 2026, the two sides will jointly organize the "Land Restoration Pavilion" Exhibition.
Dr. Murali Tummarakudi served as a senior specialist in the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and led land restoration and environmental
management initiatives in over 35 countries.
