Artificial intelligence has emerged as enough of a concern that it made it onto what was already a packed agenda at the G7 summit at the weekend.

Concerns about AI's harmful impact coincide with the US' attempts to restrict China's access to crucial technology.

For now, the US seems to be ahead in the AI race. And there is already the possibility that current restrictions on semiconductor exports to China could hamper Beijing's technological progress.

But China could catch up, according to analysts, as AI solutions take years to be perfected. Chinese internet companies "are arguably more advanced than US internet companies, depending on how you're measuring advancement," Kendra Schaefer, head of tech policy research at Trivium China tells the BBC.

However, she says China's "ability to manufacture high-end equipment and components is an estimated 10 to 15 years behind global leaders."

The Silicon Valley factor

The US' biggest advantage is Silicon Valley, arguably the world's supreme entrepreneurial hotspot. It is the birthplace of technology giants such as Google, Apple and Intel that have helped shape modern life.

Innovators in the country have been helped by its unique research culture, says Pascale Fung, director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence Research at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Researchers often spend years working to improve a technology without a product in mind, Ms Fung says.

OpenAI, for example, operated as a non-profit company for years as it researched the Transformers machine learning model, which eventually powered ChatGPT.

"This environment never existed in most Chinese companies. They would build deep learning systems or large language models only after they saw the popularity," she adds. "This is a fundamental challenge to Chinese AI."

US investors have also been supportive of the country's research push. In 2019, Microsoft said it would put $1bn (£810,000) in to OpenAI.

"AI is one of the most transformative technologies of our time and has the potential to help solve many of our world's most pressing challenges," Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella said.

China's edge

China, meanwhile, benefits from a larger consumer base. It is the world's second-most populous country, home to roughly 1.4 billion people.

It also has a thriving internet sector, says Edith Yeung, a partner at the Race Capital investment firm.

Nearly everyone in the country uses the super app WeChat, for example. It is used for almost everything from sending text messages, to booking doctor's appointments and filing taxes.

As a result, there's a wealth of information that can be used to improve products. "The AI model is going to be only as good as the data that is available for it to learn from," Ms Yeung says.

"For good or bad, China has a lot less rules around privacy, and a lot more data [compared to the US]. There's CCTV facial recognition everywhere, for example," she adds. "Imagine how useful that would be for AI-generated images."

While China's tech community may appear to be lagging behind the US, its developers have an edge, according to Lee Kai-Fu, who makes the argument in his book AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order.

"They live in a world where speed is essential, copying is an accepted practice, and competitors will stop at nothing to win a new market," wrote Mr Lee, a prominent figure in Beijing's internet sector and the former head of Google China.

"This rough-and-tumble environment makes a strong contrast to Silicon Valley, where copying is stigmatised and many companies are allowed to coast on the basis of one original idea or lucky break."

China's copycat era has its problems, including serious issues around intellectual property. Mr Lee writes that it has led to a generation of hardy and nimble entrepreneurs ready to compete.

Since the 1980s, China has been expanding its economy, which used to be based mainly on manufacturing, to one that is technology-based, Ms Fung says.

"In the last decade, we have seen more innovation from Chinese consumer-driven internet companies and high-end Chinese designs," she adds.

Can China catch up?

While Chinese tech companies certainly have unique advantages, the full impact of Beijing's authoritarianism is still unclear.

There are questions, for instance, about whether censorship would affect development of Chinese AI chatbots. Will they be able to answer sensitive questions about President Xi Jinping?

"I don't think anyone in China will ask controversial questions on Baidu or Ernie in the first place. They know it's censored," Ms Yeung says. "Sensitive topics are a very small part of the usage [of chatbots]. They just get more media attention," Ms Fung adds.

The bigger concern is that US attempts to restrict China's access to specialised tech can stymie the latter's AI industry.

High-performing computer chips, or semiconductors, are now the source of much tension between Washington and Beijing. They are used in everyday products including laptops and smartphones, and could have military applications. They are also crucial to the hardware required for AI learning.

US companies like Nvidia currently have the lead in developing AI chips and "few [Chinese] companies can compete against ChatGPT" given export restrictions, Ms Fung says.

While this will hit China's high-tech industries like cutting edge AI, it won't affect the the production of consumer technology, such as mobiles and laptops. This is because "the export controls are designed to prevent China from developing advanced AI for military purposes," Ms Schaefer says.

To overcome this, China needs its own Silicon Valley - a research culture that attracts talent from diverse backgrounds, Ms Fung says.

"So far it has relied on both domestic talent and those from overseas with Chinese heritage. There is a limit to homogeneous cultural thinking," she adds.

Beijing has been trying to close the gap through its "Big Fund", which offers massive incentives to chip companies.

But it has also tightened its grip on the sector. In March, Zhao Weiguo became the latest technology tycoon to be accused of corruption by authorities.

Beijing's focus on certain industries can bring financial incentives and loosen red tape, but it may also mean greater scrutiny, and more fear and uncertainty.

"Zhao's arrest is a message for other state-owned firms: don't mess around with state money, particularly in the chip space," Ms Schaefer says. "Now it's time to get on with the job."

How that message will affect the future of China's AI industry remains to be seen.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) has told congressmen and senators that copper has not reached the status of critical minerals needed to be added to the official list of commodities at risk of undersupply, the Copper Development Association (CDA) said.

The USGS decision comes despite some high-ranking political allies throwing their support behind the local copper sector.

The copper marketing body says the metal’s supply risk score is now above the threshold for automatic inclusion on the 2022 Critical Minerals list. It adds the USGG quoted misleading arguments that were not part of its own official 2022 methodology, to justify its decision.

“Unlike in Europe, where copper was recently added to its proposed Critical Raw Material and Strategic Raw Material lists based on forecasting future supply and demand projections, USGS addresses supply risk with a rearward looking analysis,” the CDA said.

It noted the USGS did not address current and forward-looking policy demands that can leave domestic supply chains short of copper.

“Continued supply trends and solid data confirm that the supply risk for copper is not a short-term issue that will self-correct without determined, immediate, and strategic action,” CDA’s president and CEO Andrew G. Kireta said in the statement.

The USGS’s last official evaluation for the 2022 Critical Minerals List is based on copper trade data that represents supply risk from 2014 to 2018, five to nine years out-of-date, and too old to be meaningful, Kireta noted.

Early this year, Senator Kyrsten Sinema, an Independent from Arizona, sent a letter urging Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to “revisit and reconsider the designation of copper as a critical mineral.”

Supporters included other senators whose home states are hubs of copper production and manufacturing, including Mark Kelly of Arizona, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Indiana’s Mike Braun, Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Mitt Romney of Utah.

“This should be a no-brainer,” Sinema said in an interview with Bloomberg in February. “We have major gaps in both our ability to mine and process these minerals to ensure our energy security for the future, and the administration knows how important copper is to our domestic and national security.”

CDA members include some of the biggest copper miners, including Rio Tinto, BHP, and Freeport-McMoRan, as well as manufacturers such as Mueller Industries Inc.

The US critical minerals list is updated every three years and includes key battery metals needed for electric vehicle production such as nickel, lithium and zinc.

Eight Escondida mines needed

Based on studies conducted by the world’s largest copper miner, Chile’s Codelco, the world’s energy transition to stop climate change will take demand for the metal from 25 million tonnes per year now to just over 31 million tonnes in 2032.

List updated May 2023.

This means the world would need to build eight projects the size of BHP’s Escondida in Chile, the world’s largest copper mine, over the next eight years.

In terms of investment, experts estimate the industry needs more than $100 billion to build mines able to close what could be an annual supply deficit of 4.7 million tonnes expected by 2030.

The 32nd Annual Meeting and Business Forum of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on May 16-18 under the theme "Invest in Resilience". The delegation from Mongolia represented by Bank of Mongolia, Khan Bank, Golomt Bank, "Mobicom" Corporation, "Mandal" Financial Group, and "Digital Concept" and led by Deputy Minister of Finance S. Mungunchimeg and Deputy Minister of Economic Development G. Tuvdendorj took part in the event.

This year's meeting was organized under the topic "Ensuring economic stability during the crisis". Specifically, it was held on a wide range of issues such as support for sustainable economic growth, energy security, transition to renewable energy, and financing to support the digital transition of fast-growing markets.

During the forum, a panel meeting "The next frontier: Investing in Mongolia's promising future" was held to promote Mongolia's investment climate, and potential investors in mining, agriculture, tourism, and renewable energy were invited and informed about Mongolia's economic situation and investment environment.

Agreements between EBRD and Mongolian banks and a company were signed, namely:

• USD 20 million long-term financing agreement within the framework of the "Program to Support Women Entrepreneurs" with Khan Bank,

• USD 25 million financing package within the "Green Economy Financing" regional program with XacBank,

• USD 18 million contract for supporting retail business and financing the expansion of GS25 chain stores with "Digital Concept" Ltd.

Gatik has targeted the regulatory obscurity of Mongolia’s ship register, which has one of the worst port state control records in Asia and no history of flagging international tonnage

Having been deflagged and removed from P&I cover because of its involvement in moving Russian oil, the world’s largest operator of dark fleet vessels, Gatik Ship Management, has turned to landlocked Mongolia to keep at least four of its tankers in business

BY Michelle Wiese Bockmann

michelle.bockmann@lloydslistintelligence.com

At the invitation of Minister of Foreign Affairs, HH Prince of Saudi Arabia Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia B. Battsetseg will pay an Official Visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on May 24-26.

The ways to further develop bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries are planned to be discussed at the meetings with Minister of Foreign Affairs HH Prince of Saudi Arabia Farhan Al Saud, and other officials.

Mongolian distributor Filmbridge is on an acquisitions drive at the Cannes market, picking up a raft of titles led by Kim Jee-woon’s Out of Competition drama Cobweb from South Korea’s Barunson E&A.

In a show of support for embattled Ukraine, the company picked up all that was available from Film UA, comprising director Stanislav Tiunov’s drama Bucha, the story of a refugee from Kazakhstan who saved hundreds of Ukrainians in cities and towns occupied by Russian troops; newly launched horror The Witch of Konotop; werewolf thriller Maksym Osa; and fantasy Myrnyi - 21: On The Frontline.

Filmbridge also pre-bought Hideo Nakata’s latest horror The Forbidden Play and Takashi Shimizu’s horror Immersion from Japan’s Toei.

From Germany’s Studio 100, which specialises in children’s and family-oriented films, Filmbridge picked up animations including 200% Wolf, Being Betty Flood, Giants Of La Mancha, and Ella Bella Bingo.

Further upcoming titles secured by the buyer include South Korean company Hive Filmworks’s action-adventure Paradise and thriller Cornell’s Box as well as Hungarian outfit Luminescence’s The Big Trip 3: Race Around The World.

“The market this year has been great so far,” said Tsogtbayar ‘Tsogo’ Namsrai, founder and CEO of Filmbridge. “Although I tried to take fewer meetings this time, it was still busy. In terms of traffic, it felt like the whole market and industry has fully recovered.

“The price for us is still not dictated by the size of the budget or talent, rather how much we can afford. I am in a loss with many titles but hoping to at least break even within the duration of the term. Most of the sales agents have been very understanding and supportive.”

Tsogo added that it has been an exciting year for Mongolia at Cannes with Only If I Could Hibernate in Un Certain Regard.

“It is the first Mongolian full-length movie selected for Cannes,” he said. “Many of my foreign colleagues and friends in the industry congratulated me although I had nothing to do with the film because everyone knows how hard I have been working to introduce both Mongolian films and the market.

“I was by myself when I first started but look at today. We have the Mongolian National Film Council and a movie in Cannes, with many filmmakers here with projects.”

Separately, Cobweb also sold to Japan (Happinet Phantom Studios), Taiwan (MovieCloud), Hong Kong/Macau (Edko Films), Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand (Clover Films), France and French-speaking territories (The Jokers Films, handled by Finecut), German-speaking territories and Italy (Plaion Pictures), Spain (La Aventura), CIS (Arna Media), Middle East (Phars Film), India (Impact Films), ex-Yugoslavia (Cinemania), worldwide inflight (Anuvu/Emphasis).

The Generation Z (Gen Z) in the labor market has brought new challenges to employers. Internationally, Gen Z was born between 1997 and 2012. According to the 2020 research on identifying the generation of Mongolian society, people born after 1995 are considered the “new generation” in the country. Having been friendly with technology since birth, they can be described as “native digital citizens” who do not like the current established relations and attitudes of the labor market, especially the traditional ways of employers.

On the other hand, most employers are critical of the new generation’s relationships, attitudes, and ways of working and want to change them. As a result, time has shown that this is not a simple problem, and the question “how to employ Gen Z” is being raised among the employers.

In traditional labor relations, there is a big difference between boss and workers. Gen Z is forcing people to change the concept and attitude of being in control, fixed hours and stereotyped methods. The results of international and domestic research show that their perspective is completely different from that of the previous generation, and they are more free-thinking, innovative, and independent. This means that traditional employment relations are outdated and employers need to convert to other methods and management.

However, many employers in our country, without realizing it, have started to explain the shortage of human resources as the reason for the lack of human resources due to the fact that the labor force has been sent abroad, and the government has not taken any measures.

So what is the “recipe” to employ Gen Z and what special services do they need? The following is the positions of professional researchers and representatives of employers on this matter.

‘Gen Z doesn’t choose organizations that don’t consider mental health’

CEO of Optimal en Max Company and psychologist G.Mandukhai:

Gen Z is expected to occupy 27 percent of the global labor market by 2025. This generation has already started changing the labor market. Their main characteristic is that they are familiar with the Internet, e-networks, and smartphones, and are also called “native digital citizens”.

It can be said that this is a generation with high cognitive abilities, capable of gathering information from many sources. According to the Deloitte Global 2023 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, 49 percent of Gen Z say that maintaining work-life balance is more important. They admire someone who can maintain a work-life balance. When choosing a new job, it is important for them to get support for maintaining work-life balance. Compared to millennials, they consider family and friends more important than work.

About 46 percent of Gen Z, particularly women, feel constant stress and anxiety. Many also place a high value on mental health, and are able to talk openly about it with others. We hope that the results of such research will help to better understand and accept young people. It is more important to try to understand people than to interact with them in a special way. In doing so, it is enough to follow the principles of positive and professional communication. This includes taking the time to listen to them, being faithful and non-judgemental about their feelings, paying attention to their feelings, and helping them open up.

Underestimating employee mental health not only reduces organizational productivity, but also negatively affects long-term values ​​such as team cohesion.

According to a survey conducted in 2021, Gen Z is 47 percent more likely to be unemployed, or bored of work than others. The main reasons why they leave work include excessive workload, bad relationships in the work environment, loss of work-life balance, the organization not paying attention to the mental well-being of its employees, and receiving salaries that are not appropriate for the work they do. Z people are more aware of technological developments, look at problems from many angles, solve them scientifically, and have good critical thinking. Perhaps, the environment suitable for their characteristics and the fact that the management of the organization does not understand the difference between them will be the reason for Z’s leaving their jobs.

The workplace environment is important for mental and physical health. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the mental health of employees. But organizations do not know how to start and what to do. In order to do this, it is important to include provisions in the internal procedures of the organization to support mental health.

‘There will be a whole generation fed by parents’

Director of the Department of Education and Training of the Mongolian Employers’ Federation B.Doloonjin:

There are a lot of ads for recruitment, but there are very few people who go to work. I see that the main reason is that people do not like to work anymore. They want to make money as easily as possible. I think that to change this, we need government policies. It is important to immediately develop the policy and support the working people, especially the youth.

It is common for young workers to refuse their wages. In the past, people valued and emphasized work from the bottom, starting from the beginning and progressing step by step. But the current young people want to be the boss immediately. Politicians are the main people who influence them to do so. If you look at the biographies of politicians, they become leaders immediately after graduating from universities.

On the other hand, parents are overprotective of their children and spoil them too much. Due to this, today’s young people do not listen to people, do not get along well with others, and are unable to work. In other words, there will be a whole generation fed by their parents. The family is the main environment for a person’s upbringing and development. Therefore, parents and guardians need to focus on making them like work. Another problem is that the quality of education in our country is very poor. We do not train the in-demand specialists. Lawyers and economists are trained in large numbers. Their knowledge and skills are poor. The government policy of preparing the pavement for work has already been lost.

‘New generation is afraid of dangerous community atmosphere’

Chairman of the National Research Institute of Human Resource, Professor G.Tegshburen:

Our organization studied the features, advantages and disadvantages of Gen Z and how to work with them. Everyone thinks that their main characteristic is that they are too ambitious, they learn things easily, and they are ready for anything. They can be defined as those who want hybrid working models, communicate openly with their management, are passionate about environmental and social protection, and are extremely sensitive to human rights. Weaknesses are biased thinking, haste, frivolity, fragile psychology, thoughtless speech, tendency to take life easy, simplify work. These people value satisfaction with the goals of their work more than salary. Therefore, when they work, they follow their desires. Making work interesting and fun is a key way to motivate them. An interesting environment where they can learn new things and a flexible work schedule that motivates and inspires them. About 85 percent of young people participating in our research are interested in changing their careers in a short period of time. Moreover, 67.8 percent considered mistakes to be part of the learning process. In addition, 50.4 percent agreed that there should be flexible time and shift arrangements with equal distribution of workload. About 49.2 percent answered that there should be a fair system of mutual understanding and exchange of opinions.

‘They cannot be ruled through domination or pressure’

Chairwoman of the ️Federation of Mongolian Human Resource Management Ts.Tsetsegmaa:

According to the final statistics of 2022, 22 percent of our country’s population is accounted for by Gen Z. Almost one-third or 31 percent of the total workforce is occupied by these people.

The past generations are expected to work steadily in their work. However, for Gen Z, changing jobs is normal. They look for a suitable and comfortable environment by trying to work in many places. In addition, these people value communication through digital means, and consider it important to manage their work and life flexibly. For this reason, they do not tolerate the established style of the workplace, they want to freely express their ideas and engage in meaningful work. For example, according to a survey conducted in many countries at the end of 2021, about 40 percent of Gen Z prioritize working remotely and flexibly, maintaining work-life balance. In addition, they are likely to change jobs more than 10 times during their active working life. They began to look for psychologically stress-free, healthy and safe workplaces. They are ready to leave their jobs immediately if the wages and salaries do not match their demands.

Due to the above situation, the traditional forms of employment in our country do not meet the demands and requirements of Gen Z. Therefore, if the organization does not update its culture, working methods and management, it will not be possible to maintain its human resources in the future. It is not possible to manage new people who have the opportunity to exchange ideas and earn extra income in the digital environment with old-fashioned methods, such as ruling, harassing, and oppressing them.

'Flexible work schedule was created for young people’

Central Express CVS JSC:

Our company has more than 2,600 employees. Gen Z accounts for 89 percent of it. That’s why we’ve introduced an optimized approach for Gen Z. For example, we defined their work methods based on their five main features. We have introduced a flexible time system because Gen Z strives to maintain a work-life balance. They strive to be financially independent. Therefore, it is possible for them to receive a salary every week.

In accordance with the interest of these people, we have opened the opportunity to change their careers. Because they value comfort, a comfortable workplace environment makes them happy. The most important thing is that Gen Z choose their jobs based on their own values. This is why we have created value through organizational culture. They prefer to finish their work on time and do other interesting things. Therefore, we strive to be one of the employers that can meet their interests and provide a work-life balance.

‘Companies train their required employees themselves’

Director of the Research Institute of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry O.Tumen-Amar:

Enterprises and organizations have mentioned two main problems. The first is funding and the second is human resources. Especially after the pandemic, enterprises and organizations face a shortage of manpower. For example, our organization conducted a survey in October last year, and 58 percent of the companies said that there is a lack of professional staff. This is twice as much as before the pandemic. In particular, there is a shortage of workers in foreign trade, tourism, transportation, and food production. Moreover, 85 percent of the agricultural companies responded that they are training and employing the necessary human resources themselves.

It is said that the graduates do not meet the requirements of the job. When we asked what measures are being taken to alleviate the shortage of workers, large companies said that they have increased the amount of salaries. However, according to the research, small and medium-sized businesses are reducing their production and the scope of their activities. Such a situation is due to the migration of the labor force. In other words, it is due to the fact that many of the working-age citizens aspire to work abroad. Therefore, business owners are constantly telling us that it is necessary to take measures at the policy level.

By Misheel Lkhasuren

Mongolia has experienced a 2.1-degree Celsius increase in average air temperatures over the past 70 years, making it one of the countries most affected by climate change. This changing climate has had adverse effects on vital sectors such as agriculture, particularly animal husbandry, as well as the natural ecosystem requiring urgent and timely actions. As of 2021, the assessment of desertification and land degradation in Mongolia reveals that 77% of the land is degraded due to overgrazing and climate change.

Additionally, the frequency and magnitude of natural hazards including harsh winters (dzud), drought, snowstorms and dust storms are increasing. Comprising nearly 30% of the population and relying heavily on livestock and natural resources for their livelihood, nomadic herders are extremely vulnerable to these impacts signifying the urgent need for enhancing their risk management capacity as an adaptation priority for Mongolia.

Let’s explore how Mongolian nomadic herders and the very life as-they-know-it are being challenged by climate change and how they are striving to adapt to the ever-changing climate from Narangerel and Ariuntuya’s household – one of the 300 thousand herder households in Mongolia.

Narangerel and Ariuntuya are champion herders in Ulziit soum (sub-provincial unit) of Arkhangai province of Mongolia. Narangerel is also a celebrated wrestler and racehorse trainer.

Together, they look after over 1,000 animals in their herd including sheep, goat, cow and horse which is a significant undertaking for their family of six.

The birthing season and the task of caring for malnourished animals after a harsh winter make spring the most challenging time for many herders.

Every member of the household, including their sons and eldest daughter, is occupied with caring for the animals both the weaker ones and newborns starting their day before 6 a.m. and ending it after 10 p.m. Ariuntuya says, “When our children get home on the weekends from school, they are huge help for us but when they are in school during weekdays, we become very busy and shorthanded.”

Unlike the city residents, this household or Mongolian nomadic herders don’t have weekends off. It is a 7-day routine all around the year.

Over their 30 years of herding livestock, they have noticed a significant and challenging change in recent years - the accelerated pace of climate change. Narangerel says, "Predicting seasonal changes has become increasingly difficult. For instance, by May, we should already see the emergence of new green grasses and vegetation, which are crucial for our herds to regain strength after losing up to 30% of their body weight during winter. However, this year in May, we still haven't seen the grasses, making things very challenging."

Indeed, the animals are very weak, and landscape is still plain yellow with little to no vegetation for the animals to graze. Every morning, Narangerel would help the weak animals to stand up and while Ariuntuya together with their daughter and sons feed them as the animals can’t leave for pasture themselves yet. Even if they manage to reach the pasture, grass is still yet to come.

Narangerel further added, "We are also seeing significantly warmer temperatures in December and January, but unusually cold temperatures in March and April compared to the past. This unpredictability makes planning extremely challenging for us." Sadly, these patterns are becoming increasingly common causing difficulties for many herders. This year alone, certain regions of Mongolia experienced temperatures as high as +5.5 degrees Celsius in January on some days.

One of the major challenges herders are facing in recent years is drying of the nearby rivers, springs and streams forcing them to rely on wells which are shared by everyone in the surrounding area which is usually around 10-15 herders’ households and 4,000-5,000 animals daily.

Narangerel explains that in the event of water depletion or operational issues with the wells, the herders are left with no choice but to travel approximately 10 kilometers to the nearest river to provide water for their animals. This round trip to the river consumes an entire day.

One effective solution to tackle this challenge is the protection and fencing of springs, with the support of the UNDP's ENSURE project. This project is funded by the Global Environment Facility and has been assisting the local community for several years. According to the locals, a spring that had almost dried up two years ago due to the presence of herds of animals blocking the spring source, has now made a remarkable recovery since it was fenced. It now runs for hundreds of meters and has even formed two small lakes along the way. This rejuvenated spring now provides abundant water not only for the people and animals in the area but also for the local wildlife.

The combination of harsh winter followed by delayed vegetation in spring has inflicted significant losses upon many herders. As reported by locals, some herders in the surrounding area have suffered the loss of 60-70% of their livestock this year. The frequent presence of animal carcasses serves as a stark reminder of the extent of the impact. Reportedly, the nationwide animal losses have reached nearly 500 thousand as of March 2023, dealing a severe blow to the livelihoods of thousands of nomadic herders.

The livelihoods of herders are heavily dependent on their livestock, particularly through the sale of cashmere, meat, wool, and hides. However, in recent years, many are losing their herds at an unprecedented rate due to extreme weather conditions resulting from climate change and land degradation amplified by overgrazing of pastures by the staggering number of over 70 million animals.

Consequently, many herders now agree to reduce their herd size and focus on the quality of their animals. Moreover, many are also seeking to diversify their income sources to reduce their livelihood dependency on the herd size. One prominent alternative that has emerged is tourism. Mongolia's nomadic culture is a captivating attraction for foreign tourists, and herders possess significant potential to benefit from this growing interest.

Narangerel and Ariuntuya are reaping the benefits of the "Ger and Nature" ecotourism initiative by UNDP. This initiative, funded by UN PAGE, aims to promote community-based eco and cultural tourism. As custodians of the nomadic lifestyle and culture, herders are the primary beneficiaries of this programme.

Mongolian herders often rely on an excessive number of plastic containers to store their food and water, leading to health issues as they age. Additionally, there is a need for environmentally friendly and portable toilets that cater to the nomadic lifestyle while meeting the requirements of tourists.

Through the initiative, herders are receiving essential guidance on becoming professional hosts and overcoming key challenges. Their success in establishing alternative income sources, reducing their reliance on the herd for livelihood, is crucial for their future. It plays a vital role in enhancing their adaptability to changing climate conditions, ensuring the survival of their lifestyle and traditions.

“When I grow up, I want to become a wrestler and herder just like my dad” says their youngest son, a third grader, expressing his aspirations for the future.

With a smile on his face, Narangerel affectionately pats his son on the head and says, "I am glad that he wants to carry on our herding tradition. However, I want to ensure that he receives a secondary education before he chooses to become a herder and wrestler." Ariuntuya wholeheartedly supports this sentiment and also expressed her pride in their eldest daughter's ambition to study dentistry after completing high school.

While they are hopeful to continue and preserve their traditional livelihood and nomadic herder culture, challenges of adverse climate change impacts loom large in the years to come underscoring the critical and ongoing support from development organizations such as UNDP and their partners.

Whipsnade Zoo, just outside London, is celebrating two important new arrivals. A male foal called Luujin and an as yet unnamed female were born to a herd of rare Przewalski’s horses at the zoo this spring.

The births are a boost to the zoo’s international breeding program which backs up the endangered Przewalski’s population in the wild.

Native to Asia, the Przewalski’s horse is untamed – even here at Whipsnade, where it roams unhindered on a large expanse of open grassland. It is officially the only truly wild horse on earth, with two extra chromosomes that differentiate it from a domestic horse. It looks distinctive too, short, slightly stocky light brown in colour and with a short, tufted mane.

Despite ever increasing numbers of Przewalski’s horses in Mongolia and China, there are still challenges ahead as they re-establish themselves in the wild. ZSL has a partner program in Mongolia, helping to protect the species and its native habitat.