A Steppe Ahead
In Easter Mongolia, horses and wildlife far outnumber humans. Conservation efforts are under way to prevent foreign companies, who are after the oil and gold that lies underneath, from destroying the landscape. 1999
From the Mongolian steppes the horsemen of Genghis Khan rode out to carve a great empire that stretched from the grasslands of Central Europe to the Pacific. Only in Eastern Mongolia does the steppeland survive intact. Covering an area almost the size of Japan, horses and a spectacular array of wildlife far outnumber the semi-nomadic human population. Beneath the steppe are valuable oil and gold reserves, which are the focus of attention of foreign companies. Via the UN, the Global Environment Facility is supporting an ambitious conservation effort. Beijing-based film-maker, John Liu, travelled the steppe for Earth Report to assess the chances for safeguarding the grassland ecosystem and a way of life the warriors of the great Khans would recognise. 1999