Climate-Related Disaster Risks in Mongolia’s Gobi Region: Challenges and Resilience-Building Strategies

Abstract

Tuguldur Munkhtuvshin

Mongolia’s Gobi region is increasingly vulnerable to interconnected environmental and socioeconomic threats, such as drought, dzud, desertification, dust and sandstorms, temperature extremes, flash flooding, water shortages, pasture deterioration, and livestock disease. These risks severely affect rural herding communities that rely on climate-sensitive land, water, and livestock. Drawing on a qualitative review of legislation, policy documents, statistical data, government reports, and international publications, this study evaluates regional hazards and current risk governance.

Using the Sendai Framework and the hazard–exposure–vulnerability–capacity framework, the results indicate Mongolia’s gradual transition from reactive emergency management to proactive risk reduction. However, this shift is hindered by insufficient local risk data, limited anticipatory funding, inadequate infrastructure and coordination, ecosystem degradation, scattered settlements, and herders’ economic insecurity.

Building resilience in the Gobi therefore requires integrated and forward-looking measures, including multi-hazard warning systems, forecast-based funding, resilient water facilities, responsible rangeland management, diversified livelihoods, responsive social protection, improved local capacity, and consistent disaster-loss tracking.

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