Nov 29, 2023

AMEP and NRGI Collaborate to Empower Mongolian Civil Society on Energy Transition and Transparency

In a significant stride towards bolstering civil society engagement in Mongolia's mining sector, the Australia-Mongolia Extractives Project (AMEP) in collaboration with the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) joined forces to conduct specialized training on “Energy Transition for Civil Society”. Under the AMEP activity "Strengthening the Civic Space in Mongolia's Mining Sector," NRGI held a series of consultations in August and September 2023 with key civil society organizations identifying pressing needs on energy transition and contract transparency.

The Energy Transition training took place on October 26-27, 2023, at Ulaanbaatar's Corporate Hotel, and drew together 29 participants from twenty-one organizations. Notably, 69% of the participants were female, emphasizing a commitment to diversity in the sector.

Led by N. Dorjdari, NRGI's Mongolia Manager, and A. Furnaro, NRGI’s Policy Analyst and energy transition expert, the sessions incorporated diverse formats, including presentations, group discussions, exercises, and a special panel session. Rena Guenduez, Team Lead of AMEP, set the tone with opening remarks, underscoring the pivotal role of energy transition in the context of transparency and advocacy for civil society organizations.

The training's three key sessions tackled critical aspects on Mining Governance Challenges and Energy Transition, Risks Associated with Energy Transition and Stakeholder Perspectives and Civil Society Engagement. Participants were divided into groups for discussions on energy transition in Mongolia, exploring narratives, dispelling myths, and addressing policy challenges.

The discussions yielded insights indicating that while energy transition is underway in Mongolia, progress is slow and not fully effective. Recognized indicators include the establishment of renewable energy companies and the adoption of solar panels by herders. Myths identified in the discussion included miscommunication of renewable support tariffs to citizens and the need for caution regarding an overly positive focus on natural gas as an alternative to coal.

This training signifies a crucial step towards fostering informed and engaged civil society participation in Mongolia's evolving energy landscape, paving the way for a more transparent and sustainable mining sector.

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