A Comparative Analysis of Biodiversity Legislation between Developed and Developing Countries: Australia and Mongolia

There has been an increase in the number of international conventions on biodiversity. Despite international efforts, however, biodiversity loss has emerged as one of the most pressing global environmental problems along with climate change and desertification. Since countries have sovereignty over their own environmental policies, there is an urgent need to improve the legal framework for biodiversity conservation at the national level. Differences in legal frameworks are particularly stark between developed and developing countries. Recognizing this gap in policy and implementation, this paper compares the existing legislation of a developed country, Australia, with those of a developing country, Mongolia. While both countries have adopted the Convention on Biological Diversity, the implementation is strikingly different. The existing act in Australia effectively addresses biodiversity conservation and sustainability. In contrast, biodiversity management has become submerged in Mongolian policy, resulting in vague policymaking and a relative lack of transparency. Through such a comparison, this paper identifies key ideas to improve and utilize in the creation of effective biodiversity conservation management in Mongolia.