Environment in Mongolia

Nature in Mongolia includes taiga, forest-steppe, open steppe, semi-desert, the Gobi, mountains, dunes, lakes, rivers and wetlands. These systems provide habitat, grazing areas, water and recreation. Mongolia protects about 20.8% of its territory through several protected-area categories, although the percentage and legal classifications can change. Environmental questions in natural areas often concern wildlife, pasture condition, water availability, fires, mining and the protection of sensitive landscapes. Surroundings describe the conditions of everyday life in settlements and rural areas. Roads, heating, drinking water, sewage, waste collection, housing-area services, green space, public spaces and air quality do not have the same reliability everywhere. Ulaanbaatar, aimag centres, soums and rural areas have different infrastructure and service conditions. Ger districts may have less reliable water, heating, sewage, paved access, waste collection and public-space access than consolidated neighbourhoods. Winter air pollution is a major risk in Ulaanbaatar. The two areas are connected but should not be treated as identical. Overgrazing, drought and dzud can affect pasture, livestock and household income, while mining can affect landscapes, water and nearby communities. Wildfire can damage habitats and settlements. Air pollution, unsafe water or inadequate sanitation can affect health even when the issue is located in a built-up area rather than a protected landscape. A useful assessment therefore identifies the affected place, the environmental resource or service at risk, the responsible institution and the practical consequence for people, animals or ecosystems.