ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia — On August 24, as world leaders, environmental experts, and international investors gather in the Mongolian capital for the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17), Mongolia has showcased a curated pipeline of 15 bankable green projects designed to restore degraded land, transform pastoral livelihoods, and unlock nature-based investment.

Presented at the high-profile COP17 Green Zone exhibition, the initiatives represent the culmination of a rigorous multi-month selection process spearheaded by the National Green Lab—a pioneering public-private facility launched earlier this year.

A National Pipeline to Mobilise Global Capital

Initiated by the Office of the President of Mongolia and jointly executed by the Business Council of Mongolia (BCM) and the Mongolian Nature’s Legacy Foundation (MNLF), the National Green Lab was established in February 2026 as a bridge connecting local eco-innovations with global green finance.

The platform operates against a backdrop of acute environmental urgency. With nearly 77% of Mongolia's vast territory suffering from land degradation and desertification—exacerbated by climate change and overgrazing—the country has placed land restoration at the center of its foreign and economic policy.

Rather than acting as a direct grant-making body, the National Green Lab operates as a project incubator and accelerator. It provides technical assistance, financial structuring, capacity building, and international pitch training to elevate grassroots ideas into investment-grade proposals that meet global environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.

Out of 135 initial applications submitted nationwide, 71 passed preliminary screening, and 30 were shortlisted for live pitching before an expert jury comprising representatives from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and leading financial institutions. From this pool, 15 standout projects were selected for final incubation and public presentation during COP17.

The 15 Qualified Projects Driving Green Transformation

The 15 qualified projects span six strategic core categories: sustainable rangeland management, soil health and ecosystem restoration, climate-resilient agriculture, green supply chains, nature-based finance, and tech-driven pastoral solutions.

1. Climate-Resilient Pastoral Systems (GGMRRC – Green Gold – Mongolian Rangeland Research Center): An investment-ready sustainable land management initiative requiring US$1.2 million.

2. Build Green Land — Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Degraded, Abandoned Land and Improved Pasture Management (Monpolymet LLC): A land rehabilitation project targeting the Tosonguin River area, requiring US$1.2 million at the feasibility stage.

3. HUNU: Sustainable Grazing Intelligence Platform (Hunu Climate Tech LLC): A pilot tech platform using data intelligence for rangeland management, seeking US$350,000.

4. Restoring Degraded Pasture and Hayfields by Breeding Perennial Forage Seed to Ensure Ecosystem Sustainability (National Pasture and Fodder Association): A pilot project across 9 soums in Arkhangai, Uvurkhangai, and Töv aimags requiring US$300,000.

5. Marmota (Rangeland Data & Finance Operating System) (The Landbanking Group + Good Growth): An investment-ready green finance platform targeting Central Mongolia and the South Gobi, seeking US$1.5 million.

6. Regenerative Mongolian Leather — "Mongolian Showcase" (DesertSpring – SNBotanicals, Netherlands–Germany): A large-scale value chain pilot requiring US$35 million at the feasibility stage.

7. Value-Added Export of Waste Wool (Startup Airee Felt LLC): An investment-ready sustainable value chain project processing waste wool, requiring US$650,000.

8. Climate-Smart Livestock Value Chain Transformation (CSL-VCT) (Center for Policy Research): A pilot livelihood transformation project across 5 soums in Arkhangai aimag, seeking US$500,000.

9. Developing a Model International-Standard Sheep Shearing and Training Center (Monpellets LLC): A value chain pilot initiative in Tuv province requiring US$450,000.

10. Digital Product Passport and Marketplace of Agricultural Products with a Sustainable Supply Chain (OBORTECH Mongolia LLC): An investment-ready tech platform connecting Mongolian agricultural exports to EU and Chinese markets, requiring US$750,000.

11. Processing Food Waste into Organic Fertilizer through Recycling Technology (NovaTerra LLC): A pilot circular economy project in Khanbogd soum, Ömnögovi aimag, seeking US$900,000.

12. Green Cooperative Camel Dairy System for Climate Adaptation and Sustainable Export (Solid Partners Group LLC): A camel dairy value chain project in Khankhongor soum, Ömnögovi aimag, requiring US$800,000 at the feasibility stage.

13. Green Cluster: Sustainable Food Chain from Soil to Consumer (Ulaanbaatar Guril LLC – Tavan Bogd Group): An investment-ready value chain initiative operating across Selenge and Darkhan-Uul, seeking US$2.5 million.

14. Developing a Smart Early Warning System to Reduce Wildfire Risk in the Dry Steppe of Eastern Mongolia (Shim Mandal NGO): A climate tech pilot protecting dry steppe ecosystems across Dornod aimag, requiring US$600,000.

15. Shifting from Herd Size to Per-Animal Productivity — Sustainable Pasture Management and Supply Chain Development (Vision Agro LLC): A pastoral livelihood pilot project in Bayan-Ovoo soum, Bayankhongor aimag, seeking US$1.1 million.

Bridging Local Solutions with International Capital

For Mongolia, hosting UNCCD COP17 coincides with the UN International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, providing a high-stakes opportunity to reposition the country from a recipient of climate aid to a active marketplace for nature-based investments.

Addressing the media, B.Javkhlan, Advisor to the President of Mongolia, emphasized that the National Green Lab serves as a non-profit, collaborative bridge rather than an investment fund. The initiative provides free, specialized advisory assistance to refine project pitch decks, strengthen financial models, and ensure rigorous impact metrics prior to international deal-making.

E.Nomindari, Executive Director of the Mongolian Nature’s Legacy Foundation, noted that both domestic commercial banks and foreign development finance institutions have shown growing appetite for pastureland and ecosystem restoration. By subjecting local project developers to an intensive two-month acceleration cycle ahead of COP17, the platform ensures that potential investors are met with standardized, transparent, and execution-ready project models.

Following their official debut at COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, the 15 selected projects are slated to participate in dedicated global investor roadshows, including the upcoming Mongolia Investment Forums in London and Singapore later this autumn.