Mongolia – the intertwined issue of air and soil pollution in Ulaanbaatar

The document details a multi-phase initiative in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to combat pollution caused by the use of raw coal in 'ger' settlements. It highlights the role of the Economic Policy and Competitiveness Research Centre (EPCRC) in transitioning the community toward fuel-efficient briquettes, improving sanitation to prevent soil contamination, and influencing national green economy policies and legislation for women entrepreneurs.

• Ulaanbaatar's ger districts, which house 60% of the city's population, suffer from severe air and soil pollution due to the use of subsidised unwashed coal for heating during winters where temperatures drop below -40c.
• While the Mongolian government banned raw coal in ger districts in 2018 and introduced fuel-efficient compressed briquettes, soil pollution remains a critical issue, specifically the percolation of coal dust into soil and groundwater during spring snowmelt.
• The EPCRC has influenced national policy by contributing to the 'Green Economy Policy Assessment: Mongolia' (2018) and the 'Green Economy Policy Review of Mongolia’s Green Development Policy: Mid-Term Review' (2021), with findings integrated into 'Mongolia’s Vision-2050'.
• Participatory interventions by the EPCRC led to community-led sewage management schedules and the drafting of a new Law on Enhancing Economic Participation of Women Entrepreneurs to address financial barriers for female entrepreneurs.

APA

Khan, Z. (2025). Mongolia – the intertwined issue of air and soil pollution in Ulaanbaatar. Green Economy Coalition. https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/news-and-resources/mongolia-the-intertwined-issue-of-air-and-soil-pollution-in-ulaanbaatar

Chicago

Khan, Zaiza. Mongolia – the intertwined issue of air and soil pollution in Ulaanbaatar. Green Economy Coalition, 2025. https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/news-and-resources/mongolia-the-intertwined-issue-of-air-and-soil-pollution-in-ulaanbaatar.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Khan |first1=Zaiza |title=Mongolia – the intertwined issue of air and soil pollution in Ulaanbaatar |publisher=Green Economy Coalition |date=22 May 2025 |url=https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/news-and-resources/mongolia-the-intertwined-issue-of-air-and-soil-pollution-in-ulaanbaatar |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{khan2025mongolia, author = {Khan, Zaiza}, title = {{Mongolia – the intertwined issue of air and soil pollution in Ulaanbaatar}}, institution = {Green Economy Coalition}, year = {2025}, month = may, url = {https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/news-and-resources/mongolia-the-intertwined-issue-of-air-and-soil-pollution-in-ulaanbaatar}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }