Winning the Fight Against Air Pollution in Ulaanbaatar

Abstract

In winter, Ulaanbaatar is the coldest and most-polluted capital city in the world. The main cause of air pollution is the burning of raw coal for heating and cooking in ger areas, which accounts for 80% of the city’s PM2.5 (inhalable particulate matter of less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter). Rapid urbanization, driven by fewer economic opportunities in rural areas of Mongolia, will continue to put pressure on air pollution in Ulaanbaatar. The impacts of air pollution in Ulaanbaatar are severe and have enormous socioeconomic costs. These impacts are, unsurprisingly, hardest felt by the city’s vulnerable—the poor, the young, and the elderly. High exposure to pollution results in chronic illnesses, increased medical costs, and shorter life expectancy, and these effects in turn translate into productivity losses for the country. Mongolia’s challenge to reduce air pollution has unique aspects that require tailored solutions. However, there are important lessons from the successful experiences of other countries that can be adopted. These include improved data collection and monitoring, increased public awareness and government accountability, strengthened institutions, technology transfer, and financing mechanisms to support the transition to cleaner energy and technologies. Reducing pollution levels in Ulaanbaatar will be an extended process requiring a mix of short- and long-term actions. The Government of Mongolia has reinvigorated the country’s commitment to the issue through a number of recent actions and policy announcements. This briefing note presents recommendations that can crystallize the existing policy momentum into a long-term, institutionalized framework for sustainable solutions to reduce air pollution in Ulaanbaatar. In the shorter term, policies should focus on improving institutional management, increasing information flows, and implementing preventive measures that can be enacted quickly and with visible results. In the longer term, it is recommended to adopt reforms to ensure the sustainability of efforts to reduce pollution, such as curbing rural-urban migration by creating livelihood opportunities in rural areas, and redeveloping urban areas in line with environmental targets.