Reflections on biodiversity offsetting in Mongolia

A fact-finding mission in April 2015 to Mongolia identified serious concerns regarding the implementation of the new Mongolian Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) legislation - in particular the specific provision on biodiversity offsetting. Oyu Tolgoi (OT), the largest mining investment ever licensed in Mongolia, has been the first project to include a biodiversity offset action in its EIA and related biodiversity management plan. While OT boasts about its biodiversity offsetting activities and approaches, the FFM team collected strong evidence that no real offsetting activities are taking place so far, but that there are only preliminary pilot activities and research.