International Workshop on “Implementing Wildlife-Friendly Measures in Infrastructure Planning and Design in Mongolia”

The growing exploitation of natural resources in the Gobi-Steppe ecosystem has led to a dramatic increase in transportation networks in Mongolia, required to meet increasing consumer demand for minerals. The existing linear infrastructure, which includes roads, railways and fences, has proven to be a significant barrier to migratory wildlife in the region which is dependent on the vast, interconnected steppe and desert landscapes for survival.

The above mentioned workshop therefore brought together governmental representatives, industry, development banks and UN agencies, as well as relevant experts, scientists and NGOs, in order to establish a dialogue among all stakeholders and to find solutions to address the impact of linear infrastructure on migratory wildlife in Mongolia.

The new “Ulaanbaatar Action Plan on Wildlife-friendly Infrastructure” discussed at the inter-governmental workshop makes strong recommendations for oversight and planning of roads and railroads in Mongolia. It aims to preserve one of the largest remaining mammal migrations in the world through strengthening the application of international guidelines adopted under CMS. The action plan is an important step forward in further implementing the CMS Guidelines for Addressing the Impact of Linear Infrastructure on Migratory Large Mammals in Central Asia.

The meeting was hosted by the Mongolian Ministry of Environment, Green Development and Tourism, and was jointly organized by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, the associated Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, the Mongolian office of the GIZ (German Development Cooperation Agency) and CMS. The Mongolian Academy of Sciences and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) provided scientific expertise and support to the meeting.