Pastures, conservation, climate action – Mongolia

– Carbon sequestration
– Biodiversity conservation
– Improvements in livelihoods/ well being

a. This programme is a community-led initiative which is taking place at three different sites in Mongolia’s mountain, steppe and desert steppe environments. For the initial commitment period (Phase I: 2015-2019), herders in participating community groups undertook activities designed to sequester carbon in grasslands through improved grazing management practices. In addition, and in line with the latest Plan Vivo standard, herders’ activities in Phase I (2015-2019) and ongoing/planned activities for Phase II (2019-2029) have and will continue to make important contributions to livelihoods and wellbeing, the conservation of a globally important biodiversity heritage and to a range of ecosystem services, as well as to carbon sequestration. To facilitate the wider spread of methodological innovations in the participatory valuation of ES, as developed during preparatory work for PCCA. The intention ahead of Phase I in 2015 was to embed a ‘carbon plus’ approach into the Plan Vivo Standard, and in Phase II is to help mainstream such approaches that treat non-carbon benefits as equally important in the project monitoring and outcomes. MSRM, a nationally recognized NGO with a substantial track record in community/ herder group support and engagement, are the in-country managers for the PCCA project, with direct responsibility for overall project coordination and administration. The project will be implemented in the following ways:

1. Ecosystem service fees will be 70% of the total sales price over 4 years and the risk pool will be below 10%.

2. Payments for ecosystem services will be made through an international network based on the following decisions and monitoring:

a. By carrying out the traditional migration and rotation of pastures in accordance with the approved management plan, the number of livestock will be reduced to a certain extent, and grazing recovery would be ensured by reduced grazing.

b. Herders work together to protect the environment and biological diversity of their country. In addition, protection of endangered species such as antelope, ibex, deer, and marmoset. They have also protected species of sedge forests and grasslands.

c. Farmers have increased household income and types of income sources by working together to develop livestock products, sell them on the market, and preserve local traditions and customs.

b. Ecosystem service fees are aimed at supporting the collective power of human and nature in grassland management in Mongolia.

c. The programme has collaborated and continues to collaborate with some 120-140 herder households, these being the members of Hongor Ovoo herder group, (located in Ikh Tamir soum (district), Arkhangai aimag (region)); Ikh Am herder group, (located in Undurshireet soum, Tov aimag); and Dulaan Khairkhan herder group, (located in Bogd soum, Bayankhongor aimag). In total the territories of these groups cover an area of approximately 78,500 ha. Which is a possible sequestration of 100000 tonns of co2.

d. Farmers involved in the project will receive Ecosystem Service Payments (PES) directly through their respective Pasture user group (PUG), so they can significantly benefit financially

e. Since most of the families involved in the project have a poor standard of living, with their annual income being less than 4 million MNT, it is believed that the payments made by the project will significantly improve the preservation and protection of the natural environment. Which is of high international importance, and the livelihood of herders.

f. We invite you to fulfill your social consciousness by purchasing a certificate from the “Mongolian Pasture, Nature Conservation and Climate Change” project and contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gases
This Pastures, Conservation and Climate Action (PCCA) Plan Vivo project is based on an earlier Darwin Initiative funded project (‘Values & Valuation: New Approaches to Conservation in Mongolia’, 2012-2015), managed by University of Leicester (UK) and the Mongolian Society for Range Management (MSRM), which focused on training, capacity building, establishment of baselines and planning for PV activities with these same herder groups

For more information, please contact Mongoian Society for Range Management.