Mongolia Presents Steppe Action as Platform for Climate and Land Coordination
Mongolian and international civil-society organizations, herders, indigenous representatives and officials met at COP17 to discuss coordination between land and climate commitments. Deputy Environment Minister Munkhtamir Batbayar described Steppe Action as a platform linking government policy with local knowledge and civil-society experience. He acknowledged that commitments under the Paris Agreement, UNCCD and the Convention on Biological Diversity use separate processes and indicators. Mongolia says it wants more integrated implementation and fewer institutional and legal barriers. The deputy minister identified trust, clear complementary roles and continuity beyond COP17 as conditions for effective cooperation and said critical civil-society feedback should remain possible.
M-International Editorial DeskUpdated August 24, 2026
A COP17 discussion brought civil-society groups, herders, indigenous representatives and officials together to examine coordination between land and climate action.
Deputy Environment Minister Munkhtamir Batbayar said Mongolia's obligations under the Paris Agreement, UNCCD and the Convention on Biological Diversity are developed through different indicators and processes. He presented Steppe Action as a platform for combining government frameworks with local knowledge and civil-society experience. The government also linked the effort with initiatives on green transition and good governance. The deputy minister identified trust, openness to criticism, complementary responsibilities and cooperation continuing after COP17 as essential. The report describes a coordination platform, not a detailed implementation plan or funded program.