Improving Air Quality in Ulaanbaatar

A cleaner environment for residents of one of the most polluted cities in the world is now in sight.

By Asian Development Bank

March 4^th, 2021

WORLD'S COLDEST CAPITAL

Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, is the coldest capital in the world. Situated in a river valley and surrounded by mountains, the city is home to more than 1.5 million residents.

Commuters in Ulaanbaatar head to work in the early morning cold.

A commuter waiting for a bus in Ulaanbaatar.

A POLLUTED CITY

In the past two decades, Ulaanbaatar has witnessed a rapid urban expansion due to an inflow of people to the capital looking for better opportunities. Most migrants settle in informal settlements known as ger areas, which are usually not connected to the public service grids for water, sanitation, and heating.

Many government and private buildings also relied on inefficient coal-fired boilers for heating. In addition, power plants burned coal in the outskirts of the city.

Because of all this, the capital suffered one of the highest levels of air pollution in the world, especially during wintertime when reliance on burning raw coal for heating homes was at its highest.

Residents of the city burn coal using indoor stoves for heating.

A power station in the outskirts of the city.

A thin haze obscures the distant view of buildings in Ulaanbaatar.

A PUBLIC HEALTH MENACE

High levels of particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5), the most dangerous airborne particles, exceeded WHO standards several times over. This exposed residents, especially the poor and vulnerable living in ger areas and other parts of the city, to greater risk of poor health. The outcomes were illness, higher medical costs, and lost productivity, which affect the economy and quality of life of people in Ulaanbaatar.

A poster about the worsening pollution crisis in Ulaanbaatar. Children are most prone to the harmful effects of air pollution in the city.

WINNING THE FIGHT AGAINST AIR POLLUTION

With assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through the Ulaanbaatar Air Quality Improvement Program, the government is improving air quality management and has enacted measures to cut pollution and protect the health of the residents of the city.

In May 2019 as part of efforts to clean the air in the capital, the government implemented a ban on the burning of raw coal. Instead coal briquettes, a form of refined coal, are used resulting in more heat content and lesser emissions. Transport and sale of raw coal in the city were also prohibited. To avoid inhalation problems, the use of newer stoves was encouraged. In addition, the government continued to provide information and advice on the proper use of coal briquettes regularly. These and other initiatives have led to a 46% reduction in emissions since implementation two years ago.

Buses advertise the ban on using raw coal in Ulaanbaatar.

Bags of coal briquettes being unloaded in a distribution area in Ulaanbaatar.

Coal briquettes produce less smoke and have more heat content compared to raw coal.

Public awareness posters regarding the proper use of coal briquettes.

“Air pollution in Ulaanbaatar has improved significantly, but there is still work to be done to protect the health of people in the city, especially children and those in ger areas that are highly exposed. Clean air is central to long-term, environmentally sustainable growth in Mongolia.”

Mr. Pavit Ramachandran, ADB Country Director for Mongolia

Blue skies above a ger district in Ulaanbaatar.

The second phase of the project approved in December 2019 aims to continue the government reforms. This includes improving air quality monitoring; better distribution of coal briquettes and improved public awareness drive of their safe use; training to implement standards for energy-efficient buildings; development and approval of low-cost loans for future green heating products; nationwide rollout of pneumonia vaccines; and long-term energy plans for a greener development in Ulaanbaatar.

A child being vaccinated in a hospital in Ulaanbaatar. Children are most prone to the harmful effects of air pollution in the city.

Illustration of young students posted in a school hallway in Ulaanbaatar.

A solar power plant near the new airport in Ulaanbaatar.

Footnotes

Photos by Biggs Javellana/ADB

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FootNotes

Photos by Biggs Javellana/ADB