Air Pollution in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar is the among top 10 cities with the worst air quality in the world, primarily due to the household coal and wood burning for cooking and heating. Scroll down for latest news on air quality and management in Ulaanbaatar.

Top 100 Cities with the Worst Air Quality in the World (WHO, 2011)

Top 100 Cities with the Worst Air Quality in the World (WHO, 2014)

Journal article published in Air Quality, Atmosphere, and Health - "Particulate Pollution in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia" in May, 2013

Estimated 4,000,000 Deaths from Household Cooking Smoke - A Note from Dr. Kirk Smith

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Ulaanbaatar (Ulaan Baatar / Ulan Bator) is located at ~1300 meters above sea level, is the coldest national capital (image above is from Google Earth) in the world, with an average annual temperature of -1.3°C (29.7°F). Given the long winters, the coal combustion for cooking and heating is prevalent and a leading cause of air pollution - outdoor and indoor. In a recent report by WHO, Ulaanbaatar is ranked in the top 10 cities with world's worst air quality. This page presents the current know-how and links to articles published on air pollution in Ulaanbaatar.

An Emissions Inventory of Air Pollutants in Ulaanbaatar

An analysis was conducted in 2007, which presents an overview of the air pollution sources and possible ways to control emissions from various sectors. The picture to the right presents the current growth in the vehicular fleet in Ulaanbaatar, which since 2007 has doubled, especially in the passenger vehicles category.



The Report Structure

• Air quality in Ulaanbaatar
  
• Nature of the problem and the emission sources
  
• An emissions Inventory for criteria pollutants
  
• Results from the dispersion modeling over the city limits and linked health impacts
  
• How to control air pollution in Ulaanbaatar -a list of possible interventions for various sectors
  
• Future (2010/2020) Scenario analysis
  

Full Report is available @ www.urbanemissions.info
Abridged version is available @ SIM Working Paper Series 05-2008

Also see

• Pollution fees introduced in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to control polluting emissions
• Ulaanbaatar is No.5 World city with worst air quality
  
• Mongolia Issues Call at UN
• Workshop on Air Pollution in Ulaanbaatar by WB
• Mongolia Urban Development Strategy by ADB

In News: Air Quality in Ulaanbaatar (and Mongolia)

UB Post, July 7th, 2014
Air pollution in Ulaanbaatar believed to increase the risk of miscarriage.

UB Post, June 26th, 2014
45,000 improved stoves to find homes this fall.

UB Post, June 13th, 2014
Committee for Reducing Air Pollution cracks down on air polluters.

UB Post, May 9th, 2014
New thermal power plants and improvements in soums.

Science Daily, April 23rd, 2014
Pollutants from coal-burning stoves strongly associated with miscarriages in Mongolia.

UB Post, January 16th, 2014
Sharyn Gol mine to produce clean fuel briquettes for Mongolians.

UB Post, January 7th, 2014
Clean stove project concludes.

UB Post, January 3rd, 2014
Ulaanbaatar welcomes a warm and clear new year.

UB Post, November 19th, 2013
Luxury apartment sales increases in Ulaanbaatar.

UB Post, November 19th, 2013
Mayor promotes electric cars to reduce air pollution.

UB Post, October 8th, 2013
Poison air pollutes the city.

UB Post, October 1st, 2013
UB and JICA launch second phase of air pollution control project.

UB Post, September 15th, 2013
Citizens of the city facing lung damage.

Mongolia News, June 12th, 2013
Modun Resources wins preferred coal briquettes supplier to Mongolian Govt.

UB Post, April 30th, 2013
Inspections measure car exhaust emissions.

Huffington Post, December 12th, 2012
Postcards From the Second Most Air Polluted City in the World.

TUNZA Eco Generation, November 27th, 2012
Face to air pollution of Ulaanbaatar.

Mongolia News, November 25th, 2012
Air Pollution Killing Ulaanbaatar's Residents.

Mongolia News, November 16th, 2012
Philippine company makes air-cleansing device in Ulaanbaatar.

UB Post, November 9th, 2012
Another Winter Looms and So Does the Smog.

UB Post, November 9th, 2012
National Committee for Reducing Air Pollution Convenes.

UB Post, October 13th, 2012
Ways to Improve Air Quality in Ulaanbaatar.

UB Post, September 28th, 2012
D. Amgalanbaatar: Drinking and air pollution are changing Mongolian genes.

Millennium Challenge Corporation, August 20th, 2012
How stoves and land empower women in Mongolia.

DoE Pulse, June 18th, 2012
Berkeley Lab scientists tackle air pollution in Mongolia.

Mongolia News, June 18th, 2012
MPs initiates a Special Tax law on coal export.

Mongolia News, June 18th, 2012
Mongolian Engineers Invent Duobuses of New Model.

Info Mongolia, June 15th, 2012
Reducing Air Pollution in Ulaanbaatar.

China Daily, June 15th, 2012
Mongolia seeks int'l cooperation to improve air quality in capital city.

UB Post, June 14th, 2012
Drivers who do not pay taxes will be fined.

Business Council of Mongolia, May 7th, 2012
Curbing Air Pollution in Ulaanbaatar.

Info Mongolia, April 28th, 2012
Proposal to Reduce Air Pollution in Mongolia was Introduced in Washington DC.

Market Watch, April 26th, 2012
Citi to Purchase 1.17 Million Tonnes of Carbon Credits in Innovative Microfinance Deal with MicroEnergy Credits and Mongolia's XacBank.

US Embassy, Mongolia, April 19th, 2012
Mongolians Can Breathe Easier This Earth Day.

Info Mongolia, March 25th, 2012
Mongolian capital city hopes to improve transportation with huge investment.

UB Post, April 2nd, 2012
As the smoke settles, dust rises.

UB Post, April 2nd, 2012
Mongolia Turns Eco-Friendly in 2012.

UB Post, March 11th, 2012
Married me, without me - False Promises on Air Pollution Control.

Info Mongolia, March 11th, 2012
Owners of car will pay fee in Ulaanbaatar.

UB Post, March 5th, 2012
Responsibility for litter lays with unconcerned citizens.

Mongolia News, February 13th, 2012
50,000 households using low-smoke stoves.

UB Post, February 1st, 2012
Radiative cooling causes mist in Ulaanbaatar.

UB Post, January 26th, 2012
The future of renewable energy in Mongolia.

Mongolia News, January 26th, 2012
Lawyers blame Government for air pollution.

WWF Mongolia, January 23rd, 2012
A year to fight against air pollution and environmental degradation.

Info Mongolia, January 13th, 2012
Air pollution fees from the motor vehicles has been started to collect in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

UB Post, January 8th, 2012
Waste not the Waste.

Daily Times, December 18th, 2011
Air pollution responsible for 22,000 deaths annually in Pakistan.
 
Mongolia News, December 26th, 2011
612 new taxis in Ulaanbaatar in 2011.

UB Post, December 24th, 2011
Ulaanbaatar's Air Pollution - Threat to Health.

Mongolia News, December 23rd, 2011
WHO report on the air pollution of Ulaanbaatar.

The World Bank, December 22nd, 2011
Study Identifies Best Options to Improve Air Quality and Thus Reduce Health Impacts in Ulaanbaatar, the Most Polluted City in the World in Wintertime.

The World Bank, December 21st, 2011
Air quality analysis of Ulaanbaatar : improving air quality to reduce health impacts.

Mongolia News, December 15th, 2011
Ulaanbaatar's Mayor meets with prominent American lawyer.

Mongolia News, December 15th, 2011
Mongolia focuses on bag filters to reduce air pollution.

Mongolia News, December 14th, 2011
MNT 34 billion in anti-pollution money goes unspent.

Voice of Mongolia, December 5th, 2011
The South Korean government will grant USD 300 million loan for Mongolia’s health sector and air pollution reduction projects.

Info Mongolia, December 2nd, 2011
The work plan for air pollution reduction was ratified in Mongolia.

China Daily, November 30th, 2011
Mongolian government approves new measures to combat air pollution.

Mongolia News, November 30th, 2011
Working plan on air pollution approved.

UB Post, November 29th, 2011
Ulaanbaatar and London.

Mongolia News, November 18th, 2011
National Committee reports on anti-pollution efforts.

Mongolia News, November 2nd, 2011
Do Not Pollute Air and Get Discount.

Info Mongolia, November 2nd, 2011
The Incentive Policy for Reducing the Air Pollution in Mongolia.

Mongolian Economy and Finance, November 2nd, 2011
Standing committee discusses air pollution.

Mongolia News, October 30th, 2011
New Buses to Serve Public Transport in Ulaanbaatar.

Info Mongolia, October 21st, 2011
People of Buriyatia to reduce air pollution in Ulaanbaatar.

World Bank, October 18th, 2011
Mongolia - Ulaanbaatar Clean Air Project : safeguards report.

The Reuters, October 17th, 2011
Mongolia's capital tries to shed its smog.

Mongolia Solutions, August 18th, 2011
Eco-friendly ger heaters before winter in Mongolia.

UB Post, August 12th, 2011
Ulaanbaatar's Fumes to Decrease by 30%.

Info Mongolia, July 22nd, 2011
Smog Inspectors in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Mongolian Economy, July 4th, 2011
UB: How long before levels of air pollution be acceptable?

2point6billion.com, May 30th, 2011
A Tale of Two Mongolias.

Mongolia News, May 7th, 2011
Air Pollution Matters in Mongolia.

Mongolia News, May 5th, 2011
Anti-air pollution work in Mongolia.

UB Post, April 26th, 2011
The Chairman of the Dept. of Construction Discusses the 100,000 Apartment Project.

MAD Mongolia, April 24th, 2011
Mongolian Government maintains that apartment prices will decrease.

UB Post, April 5th, 2011
The President sets up a committee to fight pollution.

UB Post, March 22nd, 2011
Ulaanbaatar Air Pollution Linked to Public Health Crisis.

Mongolia Corporate Services, March 10th, 2011
National Committee set up to oversee air pollution reduction programs.

Eurasia Net, February 28th, 2011
Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar Air Pollution Linked to Public Health Crisis.

Mongolia Web, February 18th, 2011
People in special zones to pay less for electricity at night.

UB Post, February 18th, 2011
Anti Air Pollution Campaign to Launch in March.

Mongolia Corporate Services, February 16th, 2011
New law seeks to make Ulaanbaatar smoke free in 2014.

The Mongolian News, February 15th, 2011
S. Lodoisamba: Coal gas should be introduced to ger area as soon as possible.

UB Post, February 15th, 2011
No Mineral Exploration License Issuance Till April 30.

The office of the President of Mongolia, Public Relations & Communications Division, February 15th, 2011
Actions to Reduce Air Pollution to Begin in March.

UB Post, February 11th, 2011
Mere Cash for Cashmere.

UB Post, February 8th, 2011
Coal Stoves Coat Mongolian Capital in Smog.

France 24, February 6th, 2011
Coal stoves coat Mongolian capital in smog.

MAD Corporate Services, February 1st, 2011
MPP'S Faction Discusses Air Pollution in Mongolia.

MAD Corporate Services, February 1st, 2011
Raw coal is banned to burn in Mongolian ger districts.

The Guardian, January 28th, 2011
Why Genghis Khan was good for the planet.

UB Post, January 25th, 2011
Mongolia to Start Uranium Exploration by 2012.

UB Post, January 21st, 2011
Why a Mongolian Economic Forum?

UB Post, January 18th, 2011
President Elbegdorj Worries About City Pollution.

Mongolian Views, January 16th, 2011
President demands action to reduce UB air pollution.

UB Post, January 14th, 2011
Risks on the Road.

UB Post, January 7th, 2011
Mongolia in 2020.

UB Post, January 6th, 2011
The Mongolian “Katrina”.

UB Post, December 21st, 2010
Electricity Price To Raise in Five Phases Until 2014.


UB Post, December 3rd, 2010
“Travelers”.

UB Post, October 15th, 2010
Mongolia Chosen As Pilot Nation.

UB Post, September 24th, 2010
Take on Your Gas Mask.

UB Post, August 17th, 2010
MCA To Assist Fight with Air Pollution in UB City.

UB Post, July 27th, 2010
Interview with the NEA official G.Bayasgalan.

World Bank, April 23rd, 2010
Ulaanbaatar's Air Pollution Crisis.

Eurasia Net, March 22nd, 2010
Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar Grapples with Smog Problem.

UB Post, February 26th, 2010
Air Quality in Ulaanbaatar.

UB Post, December 15th, 2009
Mongolia’s Used Car Market on Recovery.

UB Post, November 17th, 2009
Mongolia Turns Eco-Friendly in 2012.

Ulaanbaatar Post, September 22nd, 2009
New Master Plan on Nature and Environment.

Ulaanbaatar Post, September 18th, 2009
City Air.

Rising Voices, August 18th, 2009
Nomad Green: More Workshops In Ulaanbaatar.

Ulaanbaatar Post, July 14th, 2009
Mongolia’s Growing Shantytowns.