The Asia Foundation Mongolia Hosts President of Australian Senate and Parliamentary Delegation on Women’s Climate Resilience 

The Asia Foundation in Mongolia recently hosted the President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines and a parliamentary delegation to discuss gender equality, social inclusion, and climate resilience and introduce the Foundation’s Women’s Climate Resilience (WCR) program. 

Launched in August 2024, WCR is funded by the Embassy of Australia to Mongolia through Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.  

The delegation met with key stakeholders including women-led businesses and WCR project partners, the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI), climate technology start-up URECA, and Mongolian NGO GerHub. The day began with a visit to The Asia Foundation’s Women’s Business Center (WBC) located at MNCCI, where Senator Lines and the delegation learned about the history of the WBC and the new WCR project, including priorities and collaborations in:  

• Enhancing women’s leadership in climate action at all levels, including establishing the first Green Business Incubator Program through the WBC. 
• Supporting WBC clients and their families shift from coal to solar energy for heating to reduce negative health outcomes and improve quality of life by decreasing indoor air pollution, 
• Creating a network of climate-conscious community champions through our partnership with GerHub.  

“With the collaboration of the Australian Government, The Asia Foundation, and the MNCCI, we will further expand opportunities for the development and international export of women-led businesses.” Remarked CEO of MNCCI, Duuren Tumenjargal. “Together, we will continue to write a new chapter in the history of women’s entrepreneurship in Mongolia.” 

President Sue Lines commended Mongolia’s efforts in tackling critical social issues and celebrated the relationship between the two countries : “Australia has a long history of partnering with The Asia Foundation to support the sustainability development of our partner countries. Through the Women’s Climate Resilience project, we are proud to support women’s livelihoods and leadership in responding to climate challenges in Mongolia. Today was an amazing opportunity to see the positive impact of the Australia-Mongolia relationship on the Mongolian people.” 

“The Asia Foundation is deeply committed to empowering women entrepreneurs and fostering climate action in Mongolia,” affirmed The Asia Foundation’s Country Representative in Mongolia, Sara Taylor. “With generous support from Australia, we are addressing pressing gender equality, economic, and climate challenges while building resilient communities equipped to shape Mongolia’s future.” 

The delegation visited two Ulaanbaatar households that participated in a pilot Coal-to-Solar initiative launched in 2022 by The Asia Foundation, URECA, and GerHub. The successful pilot demonstrated the viability of transitioning ger district households from being fully dependent on coal for heating in the winter to using solar-powered electric heaters, while also generating carbon credits to supplement their income.  

Davaajargal, a community leader and head of one of the original pilot households, welcomed the delegation to her ger, and spoke on the shifting from coal burning to solar energy and the positive impact on her and her family. The WCR project will expand the Coal to Solar initiative to 40 new households in ger districts of Ulaanbaatar and three rural provinces of Mongolia from 2024 to 2028.  

Chief Commercial Officer of URECA, Tom Carr, highlighted the significance of the expansion: “By transitioning ger district households to renewable energy systems, we could avoid over 3 million tons of annual carbon emissions while significantly improving air quality, leading to better health outcomes… As the initiative expands, it will also generate local employment opportunities, fostering long-term economic growth and supporting the community’s transition to a more sustainable future.” 

The Asia Foundation, alongside WCR partners MNCCI, URECA, and GerHub, remains committed to fostering innovative and inclusive solutions that empower communities in Mongolia to adapt to the challenges posed by climate change.  

The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives and expanding opportunities across Asia and the Pacific. Informed by 70 years of experience and deep local knowledge, our work is focused on governance, climate action, education and leadership, inclusive growth, international cooperation, and women’s empowerment and gender equality.

We work in more than 20 countries through our 17 permanent country offices and programs across Asia and the Pacific, supported by a headquarters in San Francisco and an office in Washington, DC. Our funding comes from a diverse array of bilateral and multilateral development agencies, foundations, corporations, and individuals.

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