The Report Mongolia 2014

Since the country’s transition from communism two decades ago, the Mongolian economy has experienced rapid liberalisation. Sectors including ICT and insurance are expanding quickly and, while the mining sector has been responsible for making Mongolia a rising star in the global economy, there is great potential for further growth in all economic sectors. Politically stable and rich with natural resources, Mongolia has emerged as a bellwether for investor confidence in recent years. The 2013 commercialisation of the Oyu Tolgoi gold and copper mine is helping to diversify Mongolia’s mineral exports away from coal, while the government is working to improve the investment environment by adopting the new Investment Law, among other measures. Challenges do exist, however, from the long harsh winters that slow construction to the difficulty of connecting the sparsely populated nation through ICT and transport systems. In response, the government has partnered with the private sector on a number of fronts in order to promote economic diversification and competitiveness.

The report takes stock of progress made by Mongolia in the management of its environment since 1987. It covers legal and policy frameworks, compliance assurance, greening the economy, environmental monitoring, public participation and education for sustainable development. It addresses issues specific to the country related to air protection, biodiversity conservation, as well as water, waste and land management. It also examines the efforts of Mongolia to integrate environmental considerations in its policies in the forestry and health sectors.

This volume, covering metals and minerals, contains chapters on approximately 90 commodities. In addition, this volume has chapters on mining and quarrying trends and on statistical surveying methods used by Minerals Information, plus a statistical summary.

This book contributes new theoretical insight and in-depth empirical analysis about the relationship between transnational legality, state change and the globalisation of markets. The role of transnational economic law in influencing and reorganising national systems of governance evidences the constitutional dimensions of global capitalism: the power to institute new rules and limits for national states. This form of new constitutionalism does not undermine the state but transforms it by eroding national capacities and implanting global alternatives. While leading scholars in the field have emphasised the much-needed value of case studies, there are no studies available which consider the cumulative impact of multiple axes of transnational legal ordering on the national state or its constitution. This monograph addresses this empirical gap, whilst expanding the theoretical scope of the field. Mongolia’s recent transformation as a mineral-exporting country provides a rare opportunity to witness economic and legal globalisation in process. Based on careful empirical analysis of national law and policy-making, the book traces the way distinctive processes of transnational legal ordering have reorganised and reframed the governance of Mongolia’s mining sector, specifically by redistributing state power in relation to the market, sub-national administrations and civil society. The book investigates the role of international financial institutions, multinational corporations and non-governmental organisations in normative transmission, as well as the critical role of national actors in embedding transnational investment norms within the domestic legal and policy environment. As the book demonstrates, however, the constitutional ramifications of transnational legal ordering extend beyond the mining regime itself into more fundamental questions of the trajectory of state transformation, institutionally and ideologically. The book will be of interest to scholars of international law, global governance and the political economy of development.

The study examines the trade and development challenges facing Asian Landlocked Developing Countries and their prospects for export diversification. It offers recommendations based on the case studies of the selected countries. The report argues that, despite complex trade and development challenges, the countries studied have significant potential to diversify their economies into the production and export of higher-value-added products in several sectors. These include agriculture (including agro-processing), light manufacturing (such as textiles, leather, and leather products), information and communications technology, tourism, and the construction sectors. Using the product-space approach, the report also identifies specific products that hold potential for export expansion and diversification in each country. For instance, agriculture and, to a lesser extent, manufacturing, are promising sectors for diversification, including niche products such as mandarin oranges (Bhutan), cashmere (Mongolia), silk (Turkmenistan), and cereal (Kazakhstan). The rich cultural heritage and varied geography of these countries are also conducive to tourism. In addition, there can be synergies between tourism and improvements in the quality of some local food and manufacturing products. However, a number of improvements in micro- and macro-economic policies and institutions are necessary to realize this potential.

Climate change threatens to undermine the conservation values of protected areas, such as Khuvsgul Lake National Park (KLNP), one of Mongolia’s largest and most visited parks. Khuvsgul Lake is sacred to Mongolians and is known locally as the Blue Pearl. This publication presents the first quantitative assessment of the potential impacts of climate change to a protected area in Mongolia in relation to three dimensions: biodiversity, livelihoods, and tourism. Building resilience to climate change for the KLNP is critical and requires collaboration and coordination between national and international agencies, focused on addressing unsustainable livestock grazing and unmanaged tourism, improving habitat connectivity, and strengthening park management.

This edition of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Minerals Yearbook discusses the performance of the worldwide minerals and materials industries during year 2013 and provides background information to assist in interpreting that performance. These annual reviews are designed to provide timely statistical data on mineral commodities in various countries. This volume covers data from Asia and the Pacific. Each report includes sections on government policies and programs, environmental issues, trade and production data, industry structure and ownership, commodity sector developments, infrastructure, and a summary outlook. Audience: Government employees and contractors, as well as businesses and employees, all working in mineral-related trades, especially with interests in statistics about mineral commodities overseas, will find this resource invaluable. Check out our Minerals & Metals publications here: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/catalog/science-technology/minerals-metals Other print volumes in the Minerals Yearbook series are available here: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/catalog/science-technology/minerals-metals/minerals-yearbook

This book gives the most detailed and comprehensive physico-geographical overview of the very unique country of Mongolia. The country offers diverse geographical features and natural landscapes combined with a long history. This book offers integrated and systematical research on the geophysical characteristics of Mongolia with an academic orientation. It provides the readers with general knowledge of the physical geography of Mongolia as well as new results of the latest research. The volume consists of 11 chapters, each written by field experts, with contributions from scientific researchers from Mongolia.The topics covered: geological and geomorphological characteristics and processes, landscapes and landforms, climate and climate change, hydrology, glaciers and permafrost, soils, environmental changes, biodiversity and many other aspects of physical geography in Mongolia.The book appeals to researchers and students of geography and related fields and can serve as a guide for field trips to Mongolia or basic literature for research projects.