Mongolia is increasingly grappling with the impacts of climate change, manifested in discernible shifts in weather patterns that underscore the escalation of this global phenomenon. The cyclical nature of the country's four distinct seasons has been significantly disrupted, particularly since 2015, leading to a rise in recurrent summer droughts and subsequent harsh winters. This poses an escalating threat to livestock-based livelihoods, the cornerstone of rural Mongolian life, creating a pressing need for humanitarian assistance to protect vulnerable herder households with limited coping strategies. Though the summer of 2023 was initially favorable with abundant rainfall, the months that followed saw the abrupt onset of a severe temperature drop, substantial snowfall in early November, and an unusually rapid temperature rise causing a snow thaw. Subsequently, an extended period of extreme cold, dipping below -40°C, persisted through the second half of December. These combined factors have made winter 2023-2024 particularly challenging for the region. As a result, herder communities in the country are now grappling with an exceptionally harsh winter characterized by icy conditions that completely obstruct livestock access to pastures.
The Dzud Early Action and Response Plan for 2023/2024 complements the Government of 'Mongolia's Dzud Anticipatory Action and Response Plan.' This plan aims to deliver immediate and life-saving assistance to 33,400 people out of the 150,500 people in need identified by the HCT through a coordinated approach. Of these, around 33,400 are women, men, girls and boys need urgent humanitarian support and continuity of access to critical services.