Greenhouse Gas Emissions Assessment of the Ecological Footprint from Tourism-Induced Livestock Aggregation in the Altai Tavan Bogd National Park in Mongolia

Abstract

While livestock presence in national parks is often recognized, its environmental impact is usually treated as a separate issue, and it is commonly assumed that livestock numbers decline as tourism develops. However, this study examines the case of Mongolia, where livestock numbers have actually increased alongside tourism growth, leading to negative environmental consequences. This study introduces and explores the phenomenon termed “tourism-induced livestock concentration”, referring to the rise in livestock numbers driven by unsustainable tourism development and the subsequent settlement of herders in the protected areas. This study is the first in Mongolia to estimate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from livestock in specially protected areas, providing a focused analysis of the ecological footprint of tourism through GHG emissions. The findings confirm that tourism contributes to increased GHG emissions in these protected areas. Specifically, in Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, the number of tourists staying in the area increased by 2.7 times, while livestock numbers rose by 3.3 times during the study period. The results indicate that the growth in livestock populations, driven by tourism, has led to higher GHG emissions and intensified grazing pressure, negatively impacting the habitats and sustainability of rare plant and animal species within the park.