The Economic and Environmental Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on the Mongolian Coal-Export Sector

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) intended to increase the exporting capacity of the coal sector on the Mongolian economy and environment by using a recursive dynamic Computable General Equilibrium model. FDI was used to expand the coal-export sector as well as to construct a railway line connecting the Mongolian main coal reserve and the Chinese border. FDI had a positive impact on macroeconomic variables such as GDP, employment, investment, and household consumption but produced a Dutch disease effect in some sectors. The new railway reduced the environmental impact of transporting coal.