Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 2 October 2023 -In a transformative leap towards accessibility and efficiency, the National Agency for Meteorology and Environment Monitoring (NAMEM), the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, and the Green Growth Institute (GGGI) have launched an advanced website aimed at simplifying the process of acquiring historical meteorological data in Mongolia. The Meteorological Development Institute NGO led the open-source website development. The website aims to foster climate data access, facilitate research-based decision-making in sectors like agriculture and manufacturing, contributes to climate change awareness, and invite international organizations to delve into Mongolian climate-related studies.
“The shift towards digitalization enables public and private organizations to make informed, cost-effective decisions based on historical meteorological data. Mongolia is embracing advanced technology at the governmental level, encouraging self-funding structures to alleviate stress on the state budget,” Dr. Oyunjargal Lamjav, acting head of the NAMEM, noted. “NAMEM’s enhanced revenue collection through the platform will also lead to further development and innovation,” Dr. Tseesodrolzoo Dashdorj, head of The Meteorological Development Institute NGO added.
“We are pleased that the previous cumbersome procedure, involving official letters, approvals, bank visits, and time-consuming processes, has been replaced with a user-friendly web-based platform,” Mr. Batdorj Dashdondog, Head of Archiving Department at NAMEM said. “This not only expedites data requests but also eliminates geographical barriers, enabling users in Mongolia and worldwide to effortlessly purchase meteorological data within three minutes.” Mr. Batdorj added.
“GGGI contribution included technical and financial assistance to the Meteorological Development Institute NGO especially around troubleshooting and customization challenges leveraging expertise to navigate complexities,” Ms. Annaka Peterson, GGGI’s Country Representative in Mongolia explained. “In our recent nationally representative Climate Change Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) survey titled Climate Change Awareness and Media Consumption Survey in Mongolia, a significant number of people noted observing climate and weather shifts during the past 10 years affecting their lives and livelihoods. Enabling access to historical meteorological data in a simple and efficient manner will enable improved channeling of timely and relevant weather information to decision-makers and other stakeholders,” Ms. Peterson added.
Looking ahead, the project envisions a broader impact on public organizations, serving as a model for leveraging additional income to fund initiatives. The platform’s expansion is foreseen, with plans to integrate Health and Disaster Databases, providing users with a comprehensive view of correlations between various measures. The initiative received funding support through the GCF readiness project implemented by GGGI.