Overview

• Ulaanbaatar's air pollution, driven by coal burning and geographic factors, has led to PM2.5 levels 27 times higher than WHO safety standards during winter.
• Respiratory illnesses, including pneumonia, are now the second leading cause of death for children under five in Mongolia.
• Government efforts, such as switching households to gas and introducing refined coal briquettes, have shown limited success and raised new concerns like carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Grassroots movements and public petitions have emerged, calling for comprehensive, cross-sector solutions to the pollution crisis.
• Plans to reduce pollution include transitioning 20,000 households to gas, relocating ger district residents to apartments, and constructing a long-delayed metro system by 2028.