Workshop on Youth Green Entrepreneurship Opportunities for the Circular Economy

One of the PAGE activities in Mongolia was the creation and support of a Decent Work for Youth Network (DW4YN). The Youth Network has developed and held a number of knowledge and capacity building activities over the course of the 4-year PAGE programme in Mongolia. This workshop on Youth Green Entrepreneurship opportunities for the Circular Economy was the last activity for the Youth Network under the PAGE programme.


The workshop introduced the concept of the circular economy to the youth network and highlighted entrepreneurship opportunities using both examples form Mongolia and internationally. The two-day workshop included a series of presentations on the circular economy and circular business models. The workshop also provided for group work activities to advance project proposal begun in a previous workshop.

In previous workshops of the DW4YN, particularly the most recent workshop in June 2019 in Uliastai, Zavkhan, teams from the nine represented aimags: Gobi-Altai, Bayan-Ulgii, Uvs, Khuvsgul, Khovd, Arkhangai, Bayankhongor, Uvurkhangai and Zavkhan; worked to identify and develop green economy project proposals for their region.

In this workshop, updates on the progress of these projects were presented. Several projects have progressed to implementation phases; including the Gobi-Altai project called “EcoAltai” which focused on improving waste management. The project was successful in receiving funding of MNT10,000,000 for implementation. The Bayan-Ulgii aimag has started work on their project to build fencing and landscaping at a local waste site. The Khovd aimag has also initiated their project activities including guidance on waste sorting at household level.

Two Mongolian entrepreneurs then discussed how they implemented circular economy principals in their business models.
Campaign photo
Ms Oyungerel Tsedevdamba presented on her ‘Change the Toilet’ campaign that aims to break the taboo about discussing sanitation in Mongolia, as well as introduce an affordable toilet that meets the needs of households living off-grid in Mongolia (i.e. doesn’t require connection to central water and sewerage systems, will not freeze over in winter).

Mr Batjargal, another entrepreneur, discussed recycling and reuse of plastics into fencing and outdoor furniture, food waste processing with worm farms and developing charcoal from wood waste.

Despite the view that the circular economy was a new concept in Mongolia, the workshop highlighted that many businesses are already adopting circular economy principles into their business models. Each of these presentations emphasised circular economy principles including the importance of working up and down the supply chain, designing out waste at the source, structuring businesses to take advantage of social, environmental and economic opportunities and the importance of not just developing a product, but also the behaviours, supply chain and funding models around that product or service.

The second day of the workshop featured an exhibition of green enterprises and green projects for youth (and by youth).