Ecological catastrophe - an entire country is turning into a desert

Ecological catastrophe: soils of Mongolia are degrading on 75% of the country's territory

As reported by mk.ru, more than three-quarters of Mongolia's lands are affected by catastrophic soil degradation. This was announced by Avirmediin Dashtseren, director of the Institute of Geography and Geoecology of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, speaking at an open discussion on the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.

The scientist named the climate crisis as the main culprit of the ecological disaster. Over the past 60 years, Mongolia has been warming three times faster than the planet as a whole. This has led to cardinal changes in precipitation patterns, more frequent periods of drought, and depletion of water resources in a region known for its extreme natural conditions.

The second destructive factor, according to Dashtseren, was the almost threefold increase in the number of domestic animals compared to the socialist period. It is this excessive grazing that delivers a crushing blow to the fragile ecosystems of the Mongolian steppes, causing soil erosion and reduction of biodiversity.

"Additional negative impact comes from active road construction and development of mineral deposits," noted the expert. At the same time, the export of natural resources, primarily coal, gold, copper, uranium, and silver, forms the basis of the country's state budget, creating a complex economic dilemma.

Mongolia is one of the few countries in the world where traditional nomadic cattle breeding has been preserved from ancient times practically unchanged. This sector provides 11.6% of the state's GDP and is a key economic sector on par with the mining industry. However, the ecological price of such an economic model is becoming increasingly evident.

Statistics show a dramatic increase in livestock: by the end of 2024, Mongolia's 3.5 million inhabitants will have 57.6 million head of livestock. According to expert forecasts, by autumn 2025, the number of animals may reach a record 80.6 million, which will create an unprecedented load on already depleted pastures.