Ulaanbaatar
Permafrost Cover in Mongolia Shrinks
Environment
Ulaanbaatar, December 8, 2023 /MONTSAME. The permafrost cover in Mongolia decreased by 33.7 percent over the past 45 years from 1971 to 2016.
In the Khentii Mountains, the
southern boundary of permafrost has shifted to the north by 178 km, in the
Khangai Mountains by 94 km and it has thawed by 240-900 m in the area of Altai
Mountains. According to the Minister of Environment and Tourism of
Mongolia, the area of permafrost is expected to decrease by 33-61 percent by
2050.
Mongolia, located on the southern
border of the Central Siberian Plateau or transition zone, is quite vulnerable
to climate change. Permafrost is defined as soil and rock that remains at or
below zero temperature over two years and it positively affects the surrounding
ecosystem as the primary source of surface and groundwater.
In total, the permafrost zones
cover 29.3 percent of the territory of Mongolia. By permafrost distribution,
Mongolia ranks fifth in the world after Russia, Canada, the USA, and China.
