In Mongolia, 77% of the soil is degraded due to activities such as agricultural expansion and mining, while poaching has threatened the snow leopard and other native animals. Insufficient spending on biodiversity largely contributed to this. Although the 2012 Natural Resource Use Fees Law (NRUF) states that a minimum share of the revenues from fees for using natural resources must be spent on conservation and restoration, the law was not effectively implemented by local governments. In 2021, Mongolia only spent 0.2% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on biodiversity.  

Amid this scenario, BIOFIN supported Mongolia in strengthening the implementation of the NRUF. This process included 1) analyzing existing regulations and drafting new ones; 2) creating a public database to track environmental expenditures; and 3) building capacity and raising awareness.  

As a result, Mongolia spent USD 13.98 million on biodiversity in 2024, an increase of 225% compared to 2021, and more than doubling the projected USD 5-6 million per year.