The Economic Impact of Increasing Investment to Expand Protected Areas and Improve Sustainable Livestock in and around Protected Areas in Mongolia: A Targeted Scenario Analysis
This policy brief, developed by The Nature Conservancy and the United Nations Development Programme, outlines a Targeted Scenario Analysis for Mongolia's livestock sector, comparing business-as-usual and sustainable ecosystem management pathways to quantify the economic benefits of expanding and strengthening Mongolia's National Protected Area system. It provides evidence to support policy and investment decisions related to the Eternal Mongolia Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiative.
Subject Tags
- Agriculture
- Land management
- Policy
Abstract
Mongolia’s livestock sector is central to rural livelihoods and a major contributor to the country’s GDP (over 5%). The sector is also under growing pressure from rangeland degradation and climate stress, with around 70% of Mongolia’s rangelands affected by varying levels of degradation. Under current business-as-usual (BAU) policies, continued herd growth and limited ecosystem management are expected to reduce productivity and weaken herder incomes over time. This policy brief summarizes a Targeted Scenario Analysis (TSA) to compare this BAU with a Sustainable Ecosystem Management (SEM) pathway, which expands protected area coverage and improves livestock and grazing management, and quantifies the long-term economic impacts of this transition (2025-2050).
View this policy brief in Mongolian.
Suggested Citation
The Nature Conservancy and United Nations Development Programme. The Economic Impact of Increasing Investment to Expand Protected Areas and Improve Sustainable Livestock in and around Protected Areas in Mongolia: A Targeted Scenario Analysis. Policy Brief no. 7. Arlington, VA: The Nature Conservancy and United Nations Development Programme, August 2026.