Programme Cooperation Agreement 2012 – 2013

• In late February and early March 2013, GRID-Arendal, the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry (ICR) and members of the national project team held extensive consultations in Tsaganuur and in the East and West Taiga with reindeer herders. Feedback was incorporated in the design of the project and a much better understanding was achieved of the conditions on the ground; 58 • Also during this period, the project team conducted extensive meetings with decision-makers, from the Ministries at the national level to administrators at the local level in Tsaganuur, to ensure that the project was in line with each administration level’s plans over the coming years, and to ensure support for the project. 59 SIGNIFICANT OUTCOME: Nomadic herders project Through extensive consultation and persistent follow- up by the project team, the Mongolian Government has committed USD 1.32$ million through its allocation of GEF funds, and a further USD 3.2$ million of co- financing into the Nomadic Herders’ project for the coming four years. The GEF FSP is expected to be officially submitted to UNEP and the GEF in early 2014, and activities to start by mid 2014. The proposed structure for managing the GEF project is unique. Both the local community and relevant government institutions are strongly embedded within the project, both in terms of activities and as members of the project steering committee. Furthermore, this project represents one of the few current-day examples of environmental collaboration between Norway and Mongolia. It is also a unique example of how UNEP is engaging, through GRID-Arendal, to support environmental issues and Indigenous Peoples at the local, community level. In October 2012, the Nomadic Herders’ project took the opportunity of a Mongolian State visit to Norway to raise awareness at the highest levels of government. The Presi- dent of Mongolia, His Excellency Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, was presented with a Mongolian edition of the UNEP re- port Changing Taiga: Challenges for Mongolia’s Reindeer Herders (produced and edited by GRID-Arendal), and was made aware of some of the environmental and social chal- lenges facing the smallest ethnic minority in Mongolia. Following this intervention - and at the suggestion of the project team - the President himself visited the reindeer herders in December 2012. 60 58. http://reindeerherding.org/blog/nomadic-herders-team-visits- reindeer-herding-communities-in-tsaganuur-and-east-and-west-taiga/ 59. http://reindeerherding.org/blog/nomadic-herders-consults-with- the-mongolian-ministries/ 60. http://reindeerherding.org/blog/reindeer-people-to-receive- monthly-allocation-the-ub-post/

SIGNIFICANT OUTCOME: Greater support for reindeer husbandry In May 2013, the Mongolian Government enacted a new Special Decree on Support to Reindeer Husbandry to support reindeer herders. The Nomadic Herders project cannot claim full attribution for this new policy. However, as a result of the project awareness-raising efforts, the project certainly played a major role. During the 2013 World Environment Day celebrations, which were hosted by Mongolia, GRID-Arendal and part- ners organized a seminar on ‘The Future for Reindeer Husbandry and Conservation in Mongolia’s Biodiversity Hotspot’. Co-management of the Tengis-Shishged Pro- tected Area was discussed and a preliminary working group established to take these issues further. World En- vironment Day also provided an opportunity for the No- madic Herders project partners to meet with Mr. Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director, as well as high-level representatives from the Mongolian Government. At the same time, GRID-Arendal unveiled a unique photo exhibit with images from the reindeer herding areas of Mongolia in Ulaan Bataar’s Central Square, where the photos remained on display throughout the celebra- tions. 61 Over 2012 and 2013, the Nomadic Herders project contin- ued to build important knowledge-sharing synergies with the EALLIN 62 project of the Arctic Council’s Sustainable

61. For further information see: http://reindeerherding.org/blog/ reindeer-herders-join-in-celebrations-to-mark-world-environment-day/ 62. EALLIN means “youth” in Sami

The project team, including two reindeer herders from Mongolia, meet with the President of Mongolia (His Excellency Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj) during his visit to Norway, October 2012

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