Ulaanbaatar - IOM Mongolia launched a new project "Addressing Climate Change-Induced Human Mobility in Mongolia (Цаг уурын өөрчлөлтөөс үүдэлтэй шилжилт хөдөлгөөнийг зохицуулах нь)" in July 2024, funded by IOM Development Fund.

The project aims to reinforce the Government of Mongolia and Mongolian rural communities' capacities to respond to climate change-induced disasters and to mitigate the impact of climate-change induced disasters on migration patterns in Mongolia. Target beneficiaries of the projects include the Government of Mongolia, local administrations, climate vulnerable populations in Mongolia, and civil society organizations.

The project will be undertaken for 24 months, from July 2024 to June 2026. Within the project duration, the project expects two main outcomes. In light of policy and administration, the project anticipates the Government of Mongolia and related agencies to adopt and integrate evidence-based guidelines into disaster response plans to address the specific challenges of climate-induced migration. Concerning the climate vulnerable populations, one of the target beneficiaries of the project, the project expects the increased accessibility to information, support, and resources for rural communities to improve the communities' resilience to climate-induced disasters. Particularly, the project addresses the vulnerable women and children in rural communities.

Five key activities will be carried out under the project to achieve the expected outcomes. First, to clearly investigate the relevant situation in Mongolia, research on climate change and migration will be conducted. To bolster the knowledge on climate change and disaster risk management related to migration, three activities targeting various stakeholders will be performed: community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) training; information campaign on climate change, disaster preparedness and response; and ToT workshops for delivering effective PSS, resilience-building strategies, and livelihood support for climate migrants. Lastly, the project will provide a direct assistance for climate migrants in need.

Climate Change and Migration in Mongolia

A myriad of households in urban and rural areas of Mongolia has been affected by climate change and natural disasters induced by climate change. Ramifications of the hazards have left the victims with no choice but to involuntarily migrate to other areas seeking for reconstruction of their livelihoods.

Exacerbated by the climate change, disasters including 'dzud' have been threatening lives of people and livestock in Mongolia in recent years. 'Dzud' is unique meteorological phenomenon in Mongolia, represented by severe cold wave and heavy snow in winter. 'Dzud' is resulting in massive livestock mortality and displacement, putting livelihoods of herding households at risk. In 2023, 416,560 livestock have been lost during the winter affecting the livelihoods of 191,000 herder households (OCHA, 6 Mar 2023).

In summer, flooding has been hindering Mongolian citizens from sustaining their peaceful daily lives, even causing casualties in urban areas. In July 2023 in Ulaanbaatar, 26 locations were flooded for several days, resulting in displacement of 830 citizens including 160 evacuating to temporary shelter. Flooding in Mongolia is caused by climate change-induced prolonged and intense rainfall. The heavy rainfalls on 4 July 2023 in Ulaanbaatar has broken a record of rain volume for the same period since 1966 (IFRC, 31 Dec 2023).

Not only supporting vulnerable populations who have been forced migrate by climate change or natural hazards, IOM Mongolia also focuses on building resilience and promote development in communities influenced by disaster, environmental degradation, climate change, poverty, inequality, conflict and instability. The project accords with the IOM's commission to support the integration of human mobility into climate adaptation plans.

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For more information, please find project fact sheet on our website or contact Daniel Sam at IOM Mongolia, Email: dsam@iom.int.