UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar: Mongolia’s COP17 keeps pushing from ambition to action, with a COP17 Bureau meeting focused on organizing work and driving concrete results. Biodiversity & land planning: Mongolia introduced its 2026–2030 National Biodiversity Strategy and unveiled an updated Desertification Atlas showing 81.9% of the country affected by desertification/land degradation, alongside warming and drought trends. Sustainable finance: A High-Level Sustainable Finance Forum highlighted funding for pasture, livestock, water resilience and nature-related financial risks, with Mongolia urging nations to honor land restoration pledges. Renewables on the ground: Ulaanbaatar’s 149th secondary school will install and lease a solar-plus-battery system to cut grid strain and emissions. Energy & investment policy: The Cabinet approved security measures and special tax benefits for an oil refinery project in Dornogobi, including protection by Internal Troops and incentives for an industrial/technology park. Regional cooperation: Mongolia is also linked to broader finance and risk cooperation discussions among central banks, including AI-driven supervision and climate-risk monitoring. Public safety: Mongolia’s minimum wage will rise to 1 million MNT from Jan 1, 2027.