Stakeholder Workshop September 2017, Ulaanbaatar
As part of the MORE STEP project, a stakeholder workshop was carried out on September, 13. 2017 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The main aims of the workshop were to
- involve a variety of stakeholders at the very beginning of the research project
- identify the most pressing issues with regard to societal change and ecological sustainability in the steppe landscape
- identify the knowledge particularly needed by the stakeholders to make sound decisions
- develop a stakeholder engagement strategy as part of the research process.
Altogether, 42 participants from national and local government, foreign governmental agencies, national and international non-governmental organizations as well as the mining industry attended the workshop. In different break-out groups the participants discussed from their own area of expertise the most important problems and societal change in Mongolia, the main drivers thereof as well as potential solution pathways. As a main result changing lifestyles, (changing) mobility of wildlife and livestock as well as a lack of integrated policies on local land management were identified as the most pressing topics related to the sustainable development of the Mongolian Steppe ecosystem. The results give a baseline of the research needs from different stakeholders and will be integrated into the further research process.
Stakeholder Workshop August 2019, Ulaanbaatar
MORE STEP conducted a stakeholder workshop in Ulaanbaatar in August 2019, involving governmental and non-governmental organisations, representatives of the extractive industries as well as herder communities, scientists and nature conservationists to describe what they see as potential pathways to a sustainable future for Mongolia, and to identify the most important drivers of societal change.
The stakeholders shared their experiences and opinions regarding existing grassland use and conservation policies. They evaluated the impact of these policies, discussed what can be done to increase their effectiveness, and which questions are of particular interest for future research. These stakeholder views and recommendations will be incorporated in the policy analysis and development of governance options.
In another part of the workshop, stakeholders identified the key drivers for future societal developments. On the basis of these drivers, we will formulate consistent future scenarios in a transdisciplinary process. Not only will the resulting scenario storylines open up a shared space of ideas for alternative development paths, but they will also be integrated in the project's modelling frameworks.
The stakeholders shared their experiences and opinions regarding existing grassland use and conservation policies. They evaluated the impact of these policies, discussed what can be done to increase their effectiveness, and which questions are of particular interest for future research. These stakeholder views and recommendations will be incorporated in the policy analysis and development of governance options.
In another part of the workshop, stakeholders identified the key drivers for future societal developments. On the basis of these drivers, we will formulate consistent future scenarios in a transdisciplinary process. Not only will the resulting scenario storylines open up a shared space of ideas for alternative development paths, but they will also be integrated in the project's modelling frameworks.
Stakeholder Workshop March 2022, Hustai National Park
In March 2022, a MORE STEP stakeholder workshop was held at Hustai National Park, involving representatives from governmental organizations, pastoral communities, natural and social scientists, and veterinarians. The main topic of the workshop was the exchange about challenges and possible ways to use the buffer zone of the Hustai National Park in a sustainable way. Through the consultations, a common understanding of the current situation and challenges of the Mongolian steppe ecosystem could be developed, such as the problems related to the increase in livestock and exceeding the carrying capacity of pastures. Continuing these discussions and partnerships, such as between the Hustai National Park Trust and the herder communities located there, will help ensure the sustainable use of the Mongolian steppe ecosystem in the buffer zone of Hustai National Park in the future.