Conservation policies threaten indigenous reindeer herders in Mongolia www.theconversation.com

Deep in the sub-Arctic boreal forest of far northern Mongolia lives an indigenous tribe who are among the world’s smallest ethnic minorities and last reindeer herding nomads. The Tsaatan, as they’re known, have been buffeted over the last century by political and economic shocks, growing resource and environmental pressures, and significant impacts of climate change. But today they’re also facing another danger which they feel may be just as big a threat as any of these to their survival: the conservation policies of the Mongolian government.

This June, the two of us – environmental historians who work on climate change and conservation – spent five days traveling by air, four-wheel-drive, and finally horseback to reach the Tsaatan camps near Siberia, where the nomads live in teepee-like ortzes, migrating with their reindeer across the boreal forest. Our goal was to witness the summer migration to high elevation pastures, while learning how the Tsaatan’s herding livelihoods are changing.

Climate change is posing perhaps the most widely known threats to Mongolia’s nomadic cultures. In the past seven decades, average temperatures in the country have risen 2.24 degrees C – more than twice the global average. This warming has intensified both summer droughts and extreme winter conditions, contributing to waves of nomadic herders abandoning their herds and moving to the capital city of Ulaanbataar. In recent decades the city has been overwhelmed by more than 600,000 migrants, leading to a sharp increase in the burning of dirty coal and contributing to a spiral of intensifying climate displacement.

Meanwhile, a mining boom has stimulated Mongolia’s economy and offered good jobs to some of the former nomads, but has also worsened carbon pollution, urban migration and pressure on ecosystems.

With all of these stresses, what we found from the Tsaatan surprised us. While they are concerned about climate change and mining, they told us they believe misguided conservation policies have become a more serious threat to their nomadic culture.

Special Protected Areas
The Tsaatan live far from roads, sharing the boreal forest with endangered Siberian ibex, argali sheep, red deer and musk deer. Miners began exploiting the region for gold, jade and uranium in the 1990s, soon after the collapse of the Soviet Union. This contributed to an increase in wildlife poaching and degradation of the high alpine meadows, mountains and streams that the Tsaatan rely on and see as sacred.

In response to a request from the Tsaatan, in 2011 the Mongolian government set up a Special Protected Area and canceled all 44 mining licenses in the region. But the government also went further: concerned by poaching and habitat loss, it eliminated hunting and fishing as well, and excluded reindeer from most of the area.

Reindeer are a domesticated subspecies of caribou (Rangifer tarandus), and the Tsaatan are the southernmost reindeer-herding people in the world. Today, about 250 Tsaatan herd about 2,000 reindeer. But rather than eating their reindeer, as other reindeer herders do, the Tsaatan milk them, ride them and use them as pack animals.

For millennia, Tsaatan nomads moved with their family herds up to 10 times a year, frequently crossing what became the border between Mongolia and Russia. During our visit to the region, Gombo, a Tsaatan elder, told us that when Stalin gained power in what was then the Soviet Union, many Tsaatan on the Soviet side of the border fled to Mongolia, fearing they would be forcibly settled and assimilated. But this also cut them off from much of their traditional land.

As Gombo told us, until 1960 the Tsaatan in Mongolia were people without a state, unrecognized by the government as legal residents. When they eventually were granted citizenship, some began to settle, while others continued to migrate with their reindeer, earning a salary from reindeer collectives. Some of the nomads supplemented their income by working for the Mongolian government, hunting sable whose pelts would be exported to the Soviet Union.

The demise of the Soviet Union in 1990 and the transition from communism in Mongolia to a market-based economy led to even greater disruption across the country. In the boreal forest, the struggle to survive led to an increase in poaching, and as the economy began to recover in the 2000s, the government struggled to craft conservation policies that could protect both natural and human communities.

As an example, government surveys suggest that the move to forbid hunting in the Special Protected Area has helped ibex. But according to the Tsaatan we spoke with, it has also devastated their culture. As a herder named Ganbat told us, “Fathers can’t take their sons hunting anymore, so children don’t learn about hunting, or about the habits of animals anymore. We don’t know how to teach our sons if we can’t take them hunting.”

Ironically, that means place-based knowledge that is essential to conservation is also vanishing.

Humans’ role in conservation
Zaya, another herder, told us that human health is suffering as well, as key nutrients from wild meat such as moose and deer are lost. To fill the gap, some Tsaatan began eating their reindeer, a practice that was anathema to most.

Restrictions on access to pastures have had even greater impacts. Instead of frequent seasonal migrations, the nomads now are allowed only four, leading to overgrazing and poorer reindeer health. Bambag, a reindeer herder who also acted as our guide, told us “the administration now orders us to move to certain places. We don’t get to decide what’s best for our reindeer. So that’s difficult for us.”

Community members also bitterly complained about the ways that local rangers enforced the Special Protected Area regulations – tracking their movements with trail cameras, fining them, forcing them to travel for days to the village to seek permission to move their herds, and imprisoning anyone caught hunting. There is nowhere that they can escape from the eyes of the State, Zaya told us.

The Tsaatan made clear that they understand the need for some protected area regulations. But as a woman named Erdenechimeg told us, they want to be partners in designing conservation policies.

One of the hard lessons of conservation history across the world is that national parks and protected areas were often created at the expense of indigenous peoples. Yosemite National Park, for example, was created by forcing out indigenous tribes, casting them as enemies of wildlife. Today we see the same process happening in Mongolia – funded in part by the Yosemite Parks Association, which has raised money to pay rangers’ salaries.

We’ve come to believe that sustaining nomadic reindeer herders in Mongolia while also protecting endangered wildlife requires the government re-think conservation policies that exclude human communities and livelihoods from protected areas. Reindeer across the north have been central to human cultures for millennia. Today, they also help all of us slow climate change, because their grazing reduces heat-absorbing dark ground cover in the winters.

The Mongolian government is working hard to protect endangered wildlife, but the Tsaatan nomads insist their reindeer culture is equally endangered – and important. If consulted as equals, they and their reindeer can help sustain the boreal forest and the global climate.

Samurai Blue rout Mongolia 6-0 in 2022 World Cup qualifier www.japantimes.co.jp

SAITAMA – In the sumo ring, wrestlers from Mongolia rule the roost against their Japanese opponents.

Prime Minister Askar Mamin holds a meeting with Prime Minister of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh www.government.kz

Prime Minister Askar Mamin held talks with the Prime Minister of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh who arrived in Kazakhstan with an official visit.

The parties discussed issues of further development of cooperation in trade, economic, transit and transport, agricultural, mining, cultural and humanitarian spheres, as well as interaction within regional and international organizations.

“Thanks to the policy of the First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, the foundation has been laid for the progressive development of Kazakh-Mongolian relations. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, adhering to continuity in foreign policy, pays great attention to the effective development of cooperation with Mongolia,” Mamin said.

In turn, Khürelsükh noted the authority of Kazakhstan in Asia and, in general, in the international arena.

“We are interested in the further development of cooperation between our peoples and states and bringing it to a qualitatively new level,” he said.

The heads of Government noted the significant potential for further building up mutual trade turnover, which amounted to $80 million in 2018. Particular attention was paid to the prospects for cooperation in the mining industry, construction, processing and production of finished products of animal husbandry, cashmere, leather, and deepening cooperation in the transit and transport sector, including the activation of communications between the two countries under the SCO Agreement on the creation of favorable conditions for international road transport.

Mamin suggested developing a draft Roadmap for enhancing trade and economic cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and Mongolia for 2021-2024.

“It is necessary to unleash the full potential of bilateral trade by mutually expanding trade and economic cooperation. The Kazakhstan side has prepared a list of 100 potential goods that can be delivered to the Mongolian market from Kazakhstan,” said the prime minister of Kazakhstan.

Mamin emphasized that the Kazakh diaspora of Mongolia acts as an important connecting factor in relations between Nur-Sultan and Ulan Bator – over 120 thousand Kazakhs, of which 90 thousand live in the Bayan-Ulgiy aimag. The prime minister noted the need for regular joint cultural and sporting events, exchanges of creative teams and academic institutions. The head of Government proposed to hold the Days of Mongolian Culture in Kazakhstan and a similar event in Mongolia over the next two years, as well as consider the possibility of creating the Abay Cultural Center in Ulgy.

Following the results of negotiations in the presence of the Heads of Government of the two countries, the following series of documents was signed:

- Protocol on amending the Agreement between the Republic of Kazakhstan and Mongolia on mutual legal assistance in civil and criminal matters of Oct. 22, 1993;

- Intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of combating terrorism;

- An agreement between the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of Mongolia on the mutual recognition of documents on education, academic degrees and titles;

- the protocol on amendments and additions to the Agreement between the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of Mongolia on cooperation in the field of education of Aug. 6, 2008;

- a memorandum in the field of veterinary control and supervision between the Committee of Veterinary Control and Supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Main Veterinary Directorate – Executive Agency of the Government of Mongolia;

- agreement on the establishment of twinning relations between Nur-Sultan and Ulan-Bator;

- An agreement on cooperation between the Institute of Plant Growing and Agriculture of Mongolia and the Scientific and Production Center for Grain Management named after Barayev.

Within the framework of the official visit of the head of the government of Mongolia to Kazakhstan, a Kazakh-Mongolian business forum with the participation of representatives of business circles of the two countries, a visit to the Astana International Financial Center and the International Center for Green Technologies are planned.

Policy uncertainty, resource nationalism and environmental protection key themes for Asia mining www.mining.com

The Asian mining landscape will continue to benefit from the availability of high-grade resources and low labour costs, but key countries with grapple with Policy uncertainty, resource nationalism and environmental protection, Fitch Solutions analysts warn.

World Bank’s East Asia and Pacific Economic Update introduced www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar/MONTSAME/. Weathering Growing Risks, the October 2019 edition of the World Bank’s East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, released today, was introduced at the press conference at World Bank Mongolia Office in Ulaanbaatar.

At the press conference, World Bank’s Country Manager for Mongolia Andrei Mikhnev, Senior Economist for Mongolia Jean-Pascal N.Nganou and economist B.Davaadalai gave information and answered to the questions of journalists.

The economic update reads that growth in developing East Asian and Pacific economies is expected to slow from 6.3 percent in 2018 to 5.8 percent in 2019 and to 5.7 and 5.6 percent in 2020 and 2021, respectively, reflecting a broad-based decline in export growth and manufacturing activity.

Weakening global demand, including from China, and heightened uncertainty around ongoing US-China trade tensions has led to a decline in exports and investment growth, testing the resilience of the region, according to Weathering Growing Risks, the October 2019 edition of the World Bank’s East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, released today.

In Mongolia, growth momentum has continued in the first half of 2019, as GDP rose to 7.3 percent from 6.8 percent in 2018. This robust performance has largely been supported by a strong coal sector and increased private investment. In addition, improved market confidence following the continuous support from multilateral banks as part of a $5.5 billion multi-donor support package, skillful management of the macroeconomy, especially on the fiscal side, and steady progress on structural reforms contributed to the strong performance. In the near to medium term, the country’s growth outlook remains positive. However, the report cautions of the risks including political uncertainty, commodity price shocks, cross-border bottlenecks, implementation delay mega projects and slower implementation of banking sector reforms.

In the region excluding China, consumption growth remained steady, though slightly lower than the same period last year, supported by monetary and fiscal policies. Growth in the smaller economies of the region, however, remained robust, reflecting country-specific circumstances including steady growth in the tourism, real estate, and extractive sectors.

“As growth slows, so does the rate of poverty reduction,” said Victoria Kwakwa, World Bank Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific. “We now estimate that almost a quarter of the population of developing East Asia and the Pacific lives below the upper-middle-income poverty line of US$5.50 a day. This includes nearly 7 million more people than we projected in April, when regional growth was looking more robust.”

The report makes clear that increasing trade tensions pose a long-term threat to regional growth. While some countries have hoped to benefit from a reconfiguration of the global trade landscape, the inflexibility of global value chains limits the upside for countries in the region in the near term.

“While companies are searching for ways to avoid tariffs, it will be difficult for countries in developing East Asia and the Pacific to replace China’s role in global value chains in the short-term due to inadequate infrastructure and small scales of production,” said Andrew Mason, World Bank Lead Economist for East Asia and the Pacific.

The report warns that downside risks to the region’s growth prospects have intensified. Prolonged trade tensions between China and the United States would continue to hurt investment growth, given high levels of uncertainty. A faster-than-expected slowdown in China, the Euro Area and the United States, as well as a disorderly Brexit, could further weaken the external demand for the region’s exports.

High and rising debt levels in some countries are also putting limits on their abilities to use fiscal and monetary policies to ease the impacts of the slowdown. In addition, any abrupt changes in global financial conditions could translate into higher borrowing costs for the region, dampening credit growth and further weighing on private investment and economic growth in the region.

To weather growing risks, the report recommends that countries with sufficient policy space use fiscal and/or monetary measures to help stimulate their economies, while guarding fiscal and debt sustainability. Countries in the region will also benefit from staying the course on trade openness and by deepening regional trade integration.

The ongoing US-China trade dispute, along with slowing global growth, also increase the need for countries in the region to undertake reforms to improve their productivity and boost growth. This includes regulatory reforms that improve the trade and investment climate to attract investment and facilitate the movement of goods, technology, and know-how.

Source: World Bank

Speaker assigns to improve measures against money laundering and terror financing www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. Speaker of the Mongolian Parliament G.Zandanshatar summoned a meeting with corresponding officials concerning the potential risk of Mongolia to come under Grey List of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an intergovernmental organization to combat Money laundering and Terror financing and gave order to them.

Additional US Government assistance to advance sustainable and inclusive growth in Mongolia www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. On October 10, the U.S. government announced the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry of Finance of Mongolia signed a MNT 17 billion ($6.4 million) expansion of the bilateral agreement to implement new activities in support of good governance; the rule of law; reliable, efficient and affordable energy; and sustainable, private sector-led growth in Mongolia.

All of the NBA's official Chinese partners have suspended ties with the league www.cnn.com

Hong Kong (CNN Business)All of the NBA's official Chinese partners have suspended ties with the league as it grapples with the fallout from a team manager's controversial tweet about Hong Kong.

NBA China lists 11 wholly-owned Chinese companies as its official partners in the country on its website, all of which now say they have halted business with the league, according to a review by CNN Business of company statements and social media posts.
CTrip (CTRP), China's biggest online travel website, said Tuesday that it "dropped all NBA-related tickets and travel products" from its platform. Mengniu Dairy, one of the country's top milk producers, vowed to suspend "all commercial cooperation with the NBA."
Chinese fast-food chain Dicos also said it planned to suspend "all marketing and publicity activities" with the league, while the skin care brand Wzun said it would "terminate all cooperation with the NBA."

The firestorm began over the weekend, when Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey tweeted his support for the pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong. His post, which has since been deleted, included an image that read, "Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong." The former British colony has been rocked by months of political unrest in a challenge to China.
On Monday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver waded into the fray. He reportedly spoke to Kyodo News, a local news outlet in Japan, and expressed his support for Morey "in terms of his ability to exercise his freedom of expression."
In a statement the next day, Silver said the NBA could not regulate what "players, employees and team owners" say, and that the league was motivated by "far more than growing our business."
"It is inevitable that people around the world — including from America and China — will have different viewpoints over different issues," he said in the statement. "It is not the role of the NBA to adjudicate those differences."
That response has sparked outrage in China. Several NBA partners have spoken out defiantly over the last few days, saying China's sovereignty over Hong Kong is non-negotiable and disagreeing with the league's handling of the situation.
There's a lot at stake for the NBA. The Chinese market makes up at least 10% of the league's current revenue, and could reach 20% by 2030.

Changhong Electric, a major home appliance group listed as a partner on NBA China's website, said Monday that it felt "strong indignation to Morey's indifferent attitude and refusal to apologize," while Chinese sportswear giant Anta declared that it "firmly opposes and resists all acts that harm the interests of the motherland."
The other Chinese firms to distance themselves from their official NBA partnerships include: China Mobile subsidiary Migu; food and beverage brand Master Kong; car rental company eHi Car Services; home appliance manufacturer Meiling; and financial firm Xiaoying Technology.
NBA China also lists two partners that are joint ventures between Chinese and international companies on its website. One of those, Dongfeng Nissan, said it would suspend all ties with the league in the country. Dongfeng Nissan is an automaker that is jointly owned by Japan's Nissan (NSANF) and China's Dongfeng Motor Group.
The other joint venture, Manulife Insurance-Sinochem, could not be reached for comment. It is controlled by Manulife, a financial services firm based in Canada.
Other Chinese companies that have sponsored some NBA activities in the past have also vowed to sever relations with the league.
Luckin Coffee (LK), the Shanghai-based beverage chain, said Tuesday that it would "suspend all cooperation," while smartphone maker Vivo said it condemned "the false remarks" made by Morey "as well as NBA's attitude indicating that it's indulging such behavior."
"Vivo has always insisted on the principle that the national interest is above all else and firmly opposes any remark and behavior that constitutes a challenge to the national sovereignty and territorial integrity," the company said in a statement posted on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Tuesday. "Starting today, Vivo will suspend all cooperation with the NBA."

Other Chinese businesses had already expressed their discontent with the NBA earlier in the week.
Tencent (TCEHY), the NBA's exclusive digital partner in China, said Tuesday that it would no longer live-stream pre-season games in the country after a similar move by CCTV, China's top state broadcaster. Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and Chinese sportswear giant Li Ning also said over the weekend that they would discontinue partnerships with the team.

The decisions have immediate implications. The Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets are set to face off in Shanghai on Thursday, followed by a rematch in Shenzhen on Saturday.
Many social media users in China have been calling for boycotts of the NBA events, and on Wednesday, a man was seen tearing down a billboard advertising the Lakers and Nets game in Shanghai.
The Shanghai Sports Federation canceled an NBA event on Wednesday just hours before players were scheduled to meet with fans. The move came after several Chinese celebrities pulled out of the gathering, and said they would no longer attend the match scheduled on Thursday.
So far, most of the league's international partners in China have stayed silent. Nike (NKE), Adidas (ADDDF) and Under Armour (UA) have not issued statements on the matter, and did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
But signs of strain are starting to show up. On Wednesday, Clear, a haircare brand owned by consumer goods giant Unilever (UL), said it would suspend all ties with the NBA in China.

Bears, beware! www.news.mn

Mongolia’s northernmost Selenge Province is allowing members of the public to use guns against bears in self-defense. It’s illegal to hunt bears in Mongolia, but the authorities of the northern province are allowing the use of guns against bears for self defence or protecting another person.

OECD drafts new digital tax rules www.nhk.or.jp

The OECD is proposing new rules that would give governments more power to tax tech giants.