The “Blue Gold” water sector national forum was held in Mongolia. Mongolia is a landlocked country that receives 3-4 times less precipitation than the world average, has an uneven distribution, and low water resources. Due to climate change, urbanization, mining, industrialization, and anthropogenic factors, around 77 percent of the territory is affected by desertification to some extent, and many rivers, lakes, ponds, and springs have dried up.
Strengthening the governance of the water sector and improving the legal framework is a priority for Mongolia. In this context, it is necessary to comprehensively revise and enhance the Law on Water, the Law on Water Pollution Fees, and the Law on Natural Resource Usage Fees.
Groundwater constitutes 1.9% of Mongolia’s total water resources and provides more than 70% of all water needs. Therefore, it is necessary to limit the use of underground water resources for mining and industrial purposes and to introduce technologies for purifying and reusing wastewater.
Water usage in Mongolia
Source: Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Water Agency
In 2021, Mongolians used 600 million cubic meters of water, of which 60% was used in agriculture and 24% was used in mining. As a result of the conference, the following recommendations have been made:
- Strengthen the activities of basin administrations and increase their funding.
- Revise water tariffs and water resource fees, gradually limit the use of underground water resources for mining and industrial purposes, and improve legal regulations for the introduction of wastewater treatment.
- Increase groundwater exploration and introduce advanced technologies.
- Strictly prohibit mining activities at the headwaters, forests, and water bodies.
- Develop and implement human resource formation, training, and capacity-building programs for the water sector, based on future demand.