Honorable, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, H.E Sandag-Ochir,  

Colleagues from Green Climate Fund and Asian Development Bank,  

Distinguished Government officials,  

Representatives of development partners, financial institutions and the private sector,  

Ladies and gentlemen: Sain bain uu.  

Around the world, countries are strengthening their climate ambitions. For developing countries, meeting these ambitions will require more than US$6 trillion by 2030. To bridge this financing need, we must scale up carbon markets as a critical channel to mobilize climate investments. 

[Voluntary and non-authorized markets can bring private capital into mitigation and restoration projects while supporting countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)]. Credible information and data infrastructure including comprehensive carbon registries are a precondition for carbon markets to live up to their potential. 

At UNDP, through our Climate Promise, we have supported over 120 developing countries to enhance their updated NDCs, and we are now focused on implementing those commitments with strong data and transparency.  

Delivering on global climate ambitions is indeed also contingent on how we approach digital technology: openly, with good information, and in partnerships that break down silos between sectors and bring all relevant actors to the table. It also depends on our shared commitment to building Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) that is safe, sustainable, inclusive, and accessible to all.  

Mongolia’s National Carbon Registry that we are pre-launching today exemplifies this.  

It builds on an open-source software, accredited as a digital public good (DPG) and developed by UNDP, which any country can use to issue, track and manage carbon credits securely. UNDP’s intention of making it open source is to encourage nations to adapt it to their specific needs while reducing costs and speeding deployment.  

Global collaboration has been at the heart of its development. UNDP leads the global Digital4Climate working group with the World Bank, UNFCCC and others, ensuring that national registries follow international best practices. The system is built to integrate with national Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) processes and with global platforms like the World Bank’s Climate Action Data Trust.  

In practice, this means that any carbon credit issued in Mongolia will be recognized under international accounting standards. By pooling knowledge and harmonizing standards, we make every country stronger together – driving much needed accelerated climate action!    

High integrity carbon finance can also help Mongolia complement public and private investment in renewable energy, clean heating, energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, and other transition solutions, helping reduce dependence on coal while improving air quality, energy security and livelihoods.  

UNDP’s role is to help connect credible carbon market infrastructure with policy, investment and implementation so that carbon finance contributes to Mongolia’s broader just and inclusive energy transition.  

For example, with critical support from the Green Climate Fund and partnering with GIZ, ADB and other development partners, we supported the Government of Mongolia in developing its first Law on Climate Change, which was adopted by Parliament just last month. The Law established a critical legal and institutional foundation for advancing Mongolia’s climate agenda, including regulating carbon market activities.  

With today’s launch of the demo version of Mongolia’s National Carbon Registry System, we are taking another important step.  

This is not simply a digital platform. It is part of the infrastructure needed to build confidence in Mongolia’s carbon market. It will support greater transparency and accountability. And it will help Mongolia prepare for meaningful participation in international carbon market mechanisms.   

But ultimately, carbon markets are not an end in themselves. They are a means to mobilise public climate finance and direct private investments into renewable energy, cleaner transport, sustainable agriculture, and better land management.    

Today’s launch is therefore an important milestone in advancing the next phase of Mongolia’s climate journey by building a stronger carbon market ecosystem with new partnerships and new investment opportunities.  

In closing, I would like to appreciate GCF who put forward one of the earliest and most significant international investments in climate adaptation in Mongolia through UNDP. I would also like to recognize ADB for its valuable comparative assessment of carbon registry systems around the world that informed our work in this area here in Mongolia. 

I congratulate the Government of Mongolia and all partners on today’s launch and important milestone.   

UNDP stands ready to continue supporting Mongolia in mobilizing climate finance, strengthening institutions, and delivering on its climate ambitions.   

Thank you.