The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in partnership with the Independent Research Institute of Mongolia (IRIM), the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Center for Public Health (NCPH) in Mongolia, implemented the “Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health, Food Security and Nutrition in Mongolia” (hereinafter the Assessment) between the period of July 2023 and March 2024. This assessment aimed at understanding the impact of climate change on human health, food security and nutrition in Mongolia, to inform the further development of climate-responsive public health policies and the development of health sector preparedness and response plans. In particular, it aimed at exploring and understanding the direct impacts of temperature anomalies and other climate conditions on mortality and selected diseases throughout the country, where some considerations were given to vulnerable populations and geographies.

This assessment is part of the global efforts against the escalating impacts of climate change, and the health hazards brought about by temperature anomalies (i.e., heat waves and cold snaps) in many countries. Mongolia also experiences temperature rising at three times higher than the global average and it grapples with the detrimental health effects that thermal extremes can impose. These weather extremes not only affect the health of livestock a crucial part of the Mongolian diet and economy – but can also lead to malnutrition among the population. Furthermore, altered weather patterns can increase the prevalence of foodborne and waterborne diseases.

In consideration of such unprecedented climate change impacts at the national level, this assessment used qualitative and quantitative mixed methods with a social and spatial/temporal approach to collect primary and secondary data. Further data analysis applied multi-step processes to gain insights into the relationship between climate change indicators. As such, the following objectives were set to achieve the aforementioned aim of the assessment:
1. Analyze existing public health policies and programs for climate change, health, food security and nutrition;
2. Identify climate-related health risks in Mongolia via
a. investigating relationships between specific meteorological variables (temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind speed, and extreme weather events) and a selection of critical health outcomes (respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal illnesses, vector-borne diseases, etc) within Mongolia;
b. assessing risks according to location and population and identifying the most vulnerable geographies and populations;
c. analyzing trends in exposure to climate-related hazards and health impacts including historical data and at least two climate change scenarios.
3. Develop evidence-based recommendations for further development of climate-responsive public health policies.