Tsetseg Ulzii Dashdoorov is
a nomadic herder in Mongolia.
Living in the South Gobi desert,
her home is along the
China-Russia economic corridor.
And 100 km away,
sits the world’s largest coal mine -
the Tavan Tolgoi.
Tavan Tolgoi is
the Mongolian government’s
biggest revenue source.
In January 2019, they earned a
whopping US$169.2 million
just from coal exports to China.
Herders like Tsetseg feel
the environmental impact of
the BRI every day.
With the large-scale mining
taking place in the area
Southern Mongolia is often
referred to as Mine-golia.
One of the world’s last great wilderness now faces threat of environmental effects.
There are close to 12,000 trucks
transporting coal between the mines
and the Chinese border daily.
And by 2021,
the completed new railway
will expedite these coal deliveries!
In response to the ecological
impacts of BRI projects,
President Xi Jin Ping says,
"Environmental protection must
underpin (the BRI)."
Environmentalists are watching closely
to see if this promise will be fulfilled.
