With the purpose to efficiently and soundly implement government policies and programmes it is essential, first of all, to determine level of land erosion and destruction and category of desertification, then to identify where exactly these phenomena are taking place, to study which  consequences they have on the livelihoods of rural population and what kind of measures and how much investment is required to mitigate the  process.

Today we face an actual need to elaborate and pursue a methodology, which is based on scientific researches and findings of modern technologies and which can be developed into regulatory tool for collecting and analyzing within short period of time all basic data that can provide answers to all afore-mentioned questions.

Considering above-mentioned factors MNET is working towards elaboration of a standard methodology to monitor desertification and land degradation. It is important that the methodology is in line with a methodology proposed by UNCCD Science and Technology Council. They should also be feasible to be applied for determination category of desertification, level of land erosion and destruction and for identification their impact on socio-economics.

For this purpose CODEP supported an Advisory team that developed draft methodology for desertification monitoring. The draft was discussed at the workshop by the experts and scientists, comments of whom will be integrated into the draft and then submitted to MNET for final approval.

CODEP assists MNET in standardizing a methodology for determining level of land erosion and category of desertification. CODEP appointed an Advisory team, which is in charge of elaborating the methodology that should be well aligned with internationally recognized methodology proposed by the Science and Technology Council of UNCCD.
An Advisory team, consisting of experts and researchers specialized environmental issues and supported by project international consultant, has developed an initial draft of the methodology to introduce it to a Working Group set up by MNET to supervise and advice the process.  

In total 6 persons from Mongolia, specialized in land planning, pasture management, ecology and other environmental sectors have departed to New Mexico city to attend a short-term course in Hornada University, which provides knowledge about pastureland health assessment methodology.

In order to raise awareness of desertification and other environmental challenges through stage art and to support newly developing genre of musical drama CODEP supported creation and staging of the musical, An Agony of Yellow Sea. The musical was played for 5 evenings by the artists from the State Academic Drama Theatre.

Delivering messages about environmental concerns through the art is a complex work, nevertheless this was a very unique approach and could become a strong tool to appeal people to change their set attitudes towards better environment, while it is no too late.

14th Annual WOCAT (World Overview of Conservation Approaches and technologies) Workshop and Steering Meeting in Morocco

Mongolian representatives from CODEP and the Desertification Study Centre (DSC) of the Geo-ecological Institute attended the 14th WOCAT Annual Workshop and Steering Meeting (WWSM) held in Morocco on 13-17 October.

(WOCAT is a network of Soil and water conservation specialists from all over the world).

The purpose of the event was to bring together the main collaborating and funding institutions, assess the progress and share experiences, extend the programme and plan for the future.

One of the outcomes of the Component 3 deals with the integration of Education ofr Sustainable devleopment (ESD) concept into school curricula.

In this relation CODEP works towards building capacity of the ESD Team which is in charge of cooperating with other teams which update the general education curriculum in connection with transition to 12-year system and in the context of the UNESCO Decade for ESD. The teams were given trainings on the methodology to integrate ESD concept into school curricula.

Training for ESD team members

CODEP organised a 5 day workshop with the aim to provide support to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sciences (MECS) and the ESD Team in developing guidelines and recommendations on integration of ESD into the 12-year education curriculum. The workshop was backstopped by an International consultant invited by MECS.

The main features of the seminar were the introduction of the process of integration of ESD concept into specific subjects and the elaboration and publication of guidelines containing methodological advises on ESD, which can be used for stepwise in-service teacher trainings.

CODEP organized a 3 day Press trip to Khovd aimag for the journalists from Green Planet Club near the Mongolian Press Institute. The purpose was to strengthen capacity of environmental journalists to report about desertification, introduce them (and through them to public) potential ways to tackle the problem and last but not least to advertise CODEP activities aimed at supporting local initiatives to combat desertification.