Resource frontiers: managing water on a trans-border Asian river: Mongolian Research Sites

Mongolian research sites

Research focused on two key areas. The first is the river basin of the river Selenga, which is fed by several important tributaries (including the Delger, Eg, and Ider) rising in northern Mongolia. The Selenga, the main navigable river in the country, flows across northern Mongolia before entering the Russian Federation. Research in this region examined how the river is used in daily life by pastoralists, fishers, and local administrators. The second research site was Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital city. Research in Ulaanbaatar focused on the formulation of national policy regarding the governance of the Selenga. It also examined domestic concerns with developing sustainable hydroelectricity projects in the Selenga basin. Finally, it also analysed Mongolia’s international legal obligations as an ‘upper riparian’ state vis-à-vis the Selenga. Dr Bristley carried out fieldwork on these topics from February to June 2023.