Ulaanbaatar - IOM Mongolia conducted a second field trip to Sukhbaatar province from December 8 to December 10, 2024, to investigate the relationship between climate change and human mobility. This field trip followed a previous field visit to Khuvsgul and Zavkhan provinces in November 2024. Chief of Mission a.i. Daniel Sam, Consultant Munkhtuya D., and UNV Associate Officer Minkyung Cho engaged in discussions with local partners to gather information, understand challenges, and foster partnerships. This field mission is part of the project titled "Addressing Climate Change-Induced Human Mobility in Mongolia," funded by the IOM Development Fund.

During the trip, IOM Mongolia met with herders and internal migrants in Sukhbaatar province through focus group interviews facilitated by Public Lab Mongolia, a contracted research institute. The interviews were conducted in two sessions: a morning session with approximately 20 herders who shared their experiences and challenges related to the dzud, and an afternoon session that involved two groups—herders and former herders who have settled in the provincial center, Baruun-Urt. With the herder group, the researchers from Public Lab Mongolia identified the locations and situation of essential structures such as wells, using a map-based approach. The internal migrant group was invited to share their reason for moving to the city, their domestic decision-making processes related to migration, and their livelihoods before and after migration.

Additionally, a focus group interview was held with six public officials to identify current and necessary disaster response measures in the province. The participants shared their experiences with prevention methods and emergency responses to dzud situations, discussing the challenges they encounter in addressing these issues.

Moreover, IOM Mongolia met with Iderbat M., the Governor of Sukhbaatar province. The urgent need to enhance the resilience of local herders against future hazards, particularly considering that approximately 50 percent of herders in the region reported losing most of their herds last year, was discussed in the meeting.

***

For more information, please contact Daniel Sam at IOM Mongolia, Email: dsam@iom.int