Freshwater issues in Mongolia
Mongolia’s freshwater ecosystem is under increasing threats of degradation and resource depletion.
Identifying and prioritizing the major issues and addressing their root causes will remain a major challenge due to the nature of the threats. The complexity and magnitude of the threats are subject to a combination of several factors, often with interdependent root causes.
The factors are:
- Water Scarcity
- Water Pollution
- Dwindling Aquatic Resources
- Disturbance of Connectivity (interaction and linkage of ecosystem processes)
- Lack of Enabling Policy Framework and Management Capacity
Mongolia’s Freshwater Ecosystem –at-a-Glance…
- Has three main hydrological basins: Arctic, the Pacific and Central Asian closed basins
- Relatively poor water reserve: Water amount much lower per unit area of land compared to the world average. Water resource distribution and per capita availability varies among geographic regions: with 4500 m3 for the Gobi and 46,000 m3 for the central and northern regions.
- International Significance: Serves as the Central Asian Flyway & refuge for migratory waterfowl and home to numerous trans-boundary water bodies.
- Socio-economic and ecological value: Life-supporting service to people; wildlife and natural environment.
- Protection Status: 15% of the area taken under special protection comprises of freshwater habitats of :
i) 1 World Heritage Site,
ii) 11 Ramsar Sites,
iii) 2 more sites registered with East Asian Anatidae Sites Network; and
iv) 1 area designated as the Man-Biosphere zone
