Ecological police unit is established in Mongolia for the first time

Posted on January, 08 2020

The environmental police will have the right of a state inspector as well to open a case for those who have caused environmental damage. Thus, Mongolia forming an ecological police unit opened up opportunities for reducing environmental crime. The ecological police unit was an initiative in 2017 during “Great Gobi-6” meeting and the Government of Mongolia has supported the initiative and efforts of the parties to achieve better environmental protection.
The Government of Mongolia made decision to establish an Ecological police unit at the session of January 7, 2020. The unit will implement policies to protect the environment, combat and prevent environmental crime and conflict, and reduce environmental destruction. Ts.Nyamdorj, Minister of Justice and Home Affairs said “The unit will be established in over 100 soums of 10 provinces. Their overall responsibility is to regulate environmental issues, especially mining related. In 2019, 150 illegal mining licenses were revoked and environmental restoration had started by offending entities. In the future, it will abolish illegal mining, ecological damage and arbitrary behavior. According to the decision, a total of 170 positions of ecological policemen will be newly formed.”
The environmental police will have the right of a state inspector as well to open a case for those who have caused environmental damage. Thus, Mongolia forming an ecological police unit opened up opportunities for reducing environmental crime.
The initiative to establish the ecological policeman was raised during the third forum of the GG-6 initiative organized in Bayankhongor province and the initiative endorsed officially into Ekhiin Gol Declaration as one of the key priority actions to be implemented with dedicated efforts of stakeholders.
Accordingly, the Government of Mongolia has supported the initiative and efforts of the parties to achieve better environmental protection. 
In 2016, WWF Mongolia started an initiative called “Great Gobi 6” or “GG6”, in order to create a well recognized brand by bringing stakeholder efforts together for conservation of six iconic species of Gobi desert namely, Wild Bactrian Camel, Gobi Bear, Wild Ass, Takhi horse, Saiga antelope and Goitered Gazelle.  Today the initiative is expanded to become one of the biggest environmental protection measures in Mongolia.
Parties meet each year to discuss how to protect these animals and plan their work. As a result, the "Great Gobi 6" animals have been protected in some extent. From the outset, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism's support for the Great Gobi-6 initiative has greatly boosted stakeholder engagement.
The ecological police unit was an initiative in 2017 during “Great Gobi-6” meeting and the Government of Mongolia has supported the initiative and efforts of the parties to achieve better environmental protection.
© WWF Mongolia