Mongolia Business and Mongolian Daily Business News

“Green Group” is established in the Mongolian Parliament. We have some interview with him regarding the issue from an initiator.

Q: What is the main reason of establishing “Green Group”?

MP D.Enkhbat: Green Group of the Parliament was established. Over 20 MPs made request to join in the group from four parties which have seat at the State Great Khural. Today, Green Group will find a way to solve environmental security issues such as ecological and renewable energy, ecological balance of Ulaanbaatar City. Our mission is to become the Secretary of people of Mongolia, connecting Mongolians, scholars, NGOs, politicians that have concern on ecology and environment. Green Group will work in bringing state policy on the ecological issues and challenges. Therefore, we are starting our work by establishing nationwide information exchange and cooperation engine.

Q: Do members of the group belong to any other political parties or sth else?

MP D.Enkhbat: All parties at the State Great Khural take part in this deed. Even MP Z.Altai who doesn’t belong to any party is the member of the group. This group will not limit anyone with their race, age, gender and position. Open to every citizen of Mongolia.

Q: What is the main direction of your activities?

MP D.Enkhbat: Mongolia is on the edge of the developing its major mining projects. We saw many damages and failures in some extent that if we fail to correct our mistake in the past in the mining industry. Therefore, over 20 MPs took initiative to cooperate and direct the State policy more environment. Ecology is not only nature, environment and land, but it is about earth and herb.

Q: In the agreement on OT, there is a clause about using artesian water. It is still uncertain to change the draft agreement. If it will not be changed, there will certainly be deficit in Gobi region?

MP D.Enkhbat: Water issue at OT project is still not well studied. Water under the deposit is so much mineralized and preserved for multi million years. Therefore, using that water is troublesome. As we see, water is more expensive than copper or gold at OT. There is an idea of withdrawing water from Selenge or similar rivers that run to ocean. But Russia will not support this idea too. You shall observe OT. It is the very first project to create true financial resource in Mongolia. We shall become the owner of the project, instead of relying on foreigners and asking 1.5 million MNT to people of Mongolia. One of our group’s mission is to take initiative and influence in the resolution making procedure.

Q: How about the ecology issue of the capital city?

MP D.Enkhbat: According to the estimation of Japanese scholars, Ulaanbaatar will not have artesian water. River Tuul is disappearing. Therefore, Ulaanbaatar without water is much big issue than OT. In other words, ecological issue is economic issue, and then economic issue will be political issue. Futurists predict that major scale warfare between political superpowers will be waged because of water. Mongolia would not enter in it, but we Mongolians would be in big mess and turmoil between each other, internally. Therefore, in order to find the political solution for this scenario, we are in cooperation. Actually, Ulaanbaatar is under heavy desertification and affected by constant sand storm.

Q: What is the first action and upcoming activities of “Green Group”?

MP D.Enkhbat: “Gold” program brought benefit for the Mongolians. But it did have more bad impact than its benefit. We will work to ban this program which has been implemented for over 20 years. We believe that our group members will express their positions and reach their word on Oyu Tolgoi and Tavan Tolgoi and other mining projects. Especially we will closely observe the ecological aspects of draft agreement on OT.

Moreover, energy and uranium issue becomes highlight recent days. Most of uranium deposits and projects are owned by foreign invested companies. They will mine uranium and leave used soil and land for us.

Just one example, Kyrgyz mined uranium before, now it has radioactive waste in its soil. We should consider such cases. Kyrgyz has headache with such radioactive wastes. Therefore, we should careful when we making decision.

Q: Will your group initiate draft law?

MP D.Enkhbat: We proposed draft law on banning exploration work in the area of water and forest reserve to the Speaker of the State Great Khural.  It will be discussed during this spring session of the State Great Khural. We always come after the disaster or damage.

Therefore, we should not be reluctant with the environmental issue. Even we are far behind of the recent development in this issue, we should take measure before it is too late. We will work closely with MPs, individuals, organizations, scholars and institutes.

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