In order to adapt to climate change effectively, it is important to develop and implement province and soum (county) specific adaptation measures that are grounded in the natural, geographical and socio-economic conditions of each area, that build upon traditional local knowledge and management practices. In the Mongolian context, strengthening the capacity to adapt to climate change ultimately depends on enabling herders and socially vulnerable groups, to overcome risks in the livestock sector, by reducing their vulnerability and exposure, and enhancing their adaptive capacity. On the other hand, climate change adaptation is a cyclical policy process that involves formulation, planning, budgeting, implementation, and monitoring. In this regard, local long-term and medium-term policies and plans should scientifically identify the climate-related issues and challenges faced by each region, and the corresponding adaptation strategies and actions should be research-based and aimed at reducing risks and enhancing resilience.

This project aims to provide climate change adaptation policy recommendation that is science based and spatial characteristics specific through an assessment of climate change risk of “herder-livestock-pasture” system and a policy analysis in Mongolia and China on local level. Firstly, the researchers assessed the environmental, social and economic risk and vulnerability (CCV) of the herders to climate change in Khovd province of Mongolia and Ulaanqab prefecture of China’s Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region and calculated integrated risk index. Secondly, local level climate change adaptation (CCA) related policy documents were analysed using “Adaptation criteria”. These criteria were defined based on the national level policy documents including Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and National Adaptation Plan to Climate Change (NAP). Finally, a synthesis analysis combining the CCV and CCA results were conducted to develop adaptation policy recommendation for local governments.