Air Pollution In Mongolia: Monitoring And Reporting Status

Mongolia has a serious air pollution problem, with Ulaanbaatar, the capital, being one of the most polluted cities in the world. The country's air pollution is caused by a combination of factors, including rural-to-urban migration, mining, desertification, and the burning of raw coal. To address this issue, the Mongolian government introduced a coal-burning ban in Ulaanbaatar and implemented the 2017 National Program on Reduction of Air and Environmental Pollution, which aims to reduce air pollutants by 80% and cut air pollution by half by 2025. Various organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, have also provided recommendations and support to mitigate the health impacts of air pollution and improve air quality in Mongolia. With these efforts in place, Mongolia is taking steps towards tackling its air pollution challenge and improving the health and well-being of its citizens.

Air pollution monitoring solutions

Mongolia has been facing an air pollution crisis, with the capital city of Ulaanbaatar being one of the most polluted cities in the world. In 2012, one out of nine deaths in Mongolia was the result of air pollution-related diseases. The country has been taking steps to combat this issue, and there are currently 40 air quality sentinel monitoring stations in Mongolia, including in Ulaanbaatar and provincial centres.

To further strengthen air pollution monitoring and reporting, the following solutions can be implemented:

Strengthening Existing Monitoring Infrastructure

The existing network of 40 air quality monitoring stations in Mongolia can be upgraded with advanced technology. This includes deploying high-performance, real-time air quality monitors that can simultaneously measure particulate matter and gaseous pollutants. These monitors can provide data on various pollutants, including PM2.5, PM10, NO2, ozone, and SO2. Additionally, handheld and portable monitors can be utilised for flexibility and to reach areas that are difficult to access.

Utilising Interactive Maps and Apps

Developing an interactive map, such as the Global Environment Monitoring System for Air (GEMS/Air), can provide real-time estimates of PM2.5 levels globally. This data can be made accessible through mobile phone apps and websites, reaching a wide audience. The AirData Air Quality Monitors app is another example of a mapping application that allows users to access information about monitor locations and download daily and annual summary data.

Collaborating with International Organisations

Mongolia can continue to collaborate with international organisations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). These organisations provide expertise and resources to improve air quality monitoring and develop innovative solutions. For example, the UNEP's Innovation Labs experiment with low-cost sensors and satellite surface estimates for pollution hotspots, offering scalable solutions to local and national governments.

Crowdsourcing Air Pollution Data

Crowdsourcing air pollution data can provide a more comprehensive understanding of air quality. The Global Environment Monitoring System for Air (GEMS/Air) and the IQAir databank for PM2.5 are examples of crowdsourcing initiatives that utilise data from governments, researchers, and citizen contributors to estimate local air pollution levels.

Implementing Mid to Long-Term Interventions

As recommended by the WHO, mid to long-term interventions can address the root causes of air pollution. This includes improving solid waste management, paving roads in Ger areas, and promoting public awareness campaigns like the BreatheLife campaign. Additionally, urban planning that integrates environmental and health considerations can help reduce traffic congestion and the need for motorised transport, thereby reducing air pollution from vehicles, which accounts for around 10% of Mongolia's air pollution.

Air pollution reporting solutions

Mongolia has been facing a large amount of air pollution, particularly in its capital city, Ulaanbaatar, which is home to half of the country's population. The air pollution in Ulaanbaatar has been exacerbated by the city's rapid growth, with its population almost tripling since 1990, resulting in a sharp increase in informal settlements. These settlements, known as "ger" districts, are located in the north of the city and are heated using raw coal, which produces a significant amount of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide. In addition to the ger districts, about 10% of Mongolia's air pollution comes from motor vehicle traffic in Ulaanbaatar. Other factors contributing to the country's air pollution include mining, construction, desertification, and deforestation.

To address these issues, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued recommendations to reduce air pollution and its health impacts. These include both long-term and medium-term interventions. As a long-term intervention, WHO advises integrating environmental and health considerations into urban planning through multi-sectoral coordination. This includes creating green areas, relocating offices and commercial spaces to pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly locations, and improving solid waste management. For a medium-term intervention, WHO recommends implementing more stringent national standards for outdoor air quality, aiming to reduce pollution concentrations to the levels recommended by their Air Quality Guidelines.

In line with these recommendations, the Mongolian government introduced a coal-burning ban in Ulaanbaatar starting in May, aiming to improve the city's air quality. Additionally, the 2017 Mongolia National Program on Reduction of Air and Environmental Pollution sets a target to decrease air pollutants by 80%, prohibit the use of unprocessed coal except in thermal power plants, and reduce air and environmental pollution by 50% by 2025.

To monitor and address air pollution effectively, various solutions are available, such as those offered by Prana Air. They provide air quality monitoring solutions for different sectors, including residential and commercial real estate, schools, fitness centres, retail stores, airports, construction sites, and RMC plants. These solutions include the use of monitors, drones, outdoor air purifiers, and data dashboards to improve air quality and protect the health of individuals in these environments.

Air pollution health impacts

Mongolia has 40 air quality sentinel monitoring stations, including in Ulaanbaatar and provincial centres. These stations measure major pollutants, but only 8 out of 15 stations in Ulaanbaatar measure PM2.5. The country has a long history of mining, and the side effects of mass mining can lead to heightened levels of fine particulate matter in the air. In addition, rural-to-urban migration has resulted in a sharp increase in informal settlements, with over 60% of Ulaanbaatar's population now living in 'ger' districts. Ger dwellings are heated with traditional stoves that burn coal, wood, and dung. During the winter, when temperatures can drop to −40 °C, coal is used because it burns longer than other fuels.

Air pollution is a mix of hazardous substances from both human-made and natural sources. It is a major threat to global health and prosperity and is responsible for more than 6.5 million deaths each year worldwide. The main pathway of exposure from air pollution is through the respiratory tract. Breathing in these pollutants leads to inflammation, oxidative stress, immunosuppression, and mutagenicity in cells throughout the body, impacting the lungs, heart, and brain, among other organs, and ultimately leading to disease. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is an especially important source of health risks, as these very small particles can penetrate deep into the lungs, enter the bloodstream, and travel to organs, causing systemic damage to tissues and cells.

In 2012, one out of nine deaths in Mongolia was the result of air pollution-related diseases. More than half of child deaths from pneumonia in Mongolia are due to indoor air pollution. In Mongolia, indoor and outdoor air pollution account for 132 deaths per 100,000 people per year, whereas the global average is 92 deaths per 100,000 people. In 2017, the mean concentration of particulate matter was 8-14 times higher than WHO guideline values for air quality. In January 2019, a PM2.5 reading of 194.6 μg/m³ was recorded in Ulaanbaatar. In 2019, Mongolia's yearly average PM2.5 reading of 62 μg/m³ was enough to place it in the 'unhealthy' ratings bracket.

The health impacts of air pollution include respiratory problems such as asthma, cardiac problems, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Air pollution exposure is associated with oxidative stress and inflammation in human cells, which may lay the foundation for chronic diseases and cancer. In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization (WHO) classified air pollution as a human carcinogen. Studies have found that exposure to PM2.5 from coal is associated with a mortality risk that is twice as high as the risk from exposure to PM2.5 from all sources. Other health issues associated with air pollution include diabetes mellitus, obesity, and reproductive, neurological, and immune system disorders.

Maternal exposure to air pollution is associated with adverse birth outcomes, such as low birth weight, pre-term birth, and small for gestational age births. Exposure to both ozone and particle pollution during pregnancy is associated with premature birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth.

Air pollution sources

Mongolia has a long history of mining, and the side effects of mass mining can lead to heightened levels of fine particulate matter in the air. Poorly maintained mining sites, as well as construction areas that lack proper maintenance, can release particles such as silica dust, finely ground soil, and gravel dust into the atmosphere. While this is not the most prominent cause of pollution in Mongolia, it does contribute to the country's disastrous levels of PM2.5, particularly in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar.

Ulaanbaatar is known for having some of the world's worst air in the winter months. In fact, in 2019, Mongolia's PM2.5 reading of 62 μg/m³ was enough to place it in the ''unhealthy' ratings bracket. This level of air quality is highly detrimental to its citizens, particularly in the capital, which is where most of the pollution comes from. In Ulaanbaatar, 80% of the air pollution in the winter months is caused by households and low-pressure boilers burning raw coal in ger districts. Ger districts are located in the north of the city and are now home to more than 60% of Ulaanbaatar's population. During the winter, when temperatures can drop to −40 °C, coal is used because it burns longer than other fuels. Raw coal is cheap and dug out of the ground in the city’s Nalaikh area, but it produces copious amounts of particulate matter as well as sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide.

In addition to raw coal burning, rural-to-urban migration has also contributed to the pollution in Ulaanbaatar. As a result of the country's development, particularly in Ulaanbaatar, there has been a large amount of rural-to-urban migration, which has had a significant effect on the levels of pollution throughout Mongolia. This migration has resulted in a sharp increase in informal settlements, which are comprised of structures called 'gers' – portable, circular dwellings made of wood and canvas that are insulated with felt.

Lastly, about 10% of Mongolia’s air pollution comes from motor vehicle traffic in Ulaanbaatar.

Air pollution reduction initiatives

Mongolia has been facing an air pollution crisis, with the country ranking third in the world for its yearly average of PM2.5 levels in 2019. The capital city of Ulaanbaatar is the most polluted city in Mongolia, with 46% of the country's population residing there. The air pollution problem in Ulaanbaatar has grown with the city, which has almost tripled in size since 1990. The city's population boom can be attributed to the intensive rural-to-urban migration, resulting in a sharp increase in informal settlements.

To address this issue, the Mongolian government has implemented various initiatives and received recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO). Here are some key air pollution reduction initiatives and strategies:

• National Program on Reduction of Air and Environmental Pollution: The Mongolian government introduced the 2017 National Program, aiming to decrease air pollutants by 80%, prohibit the use of unprocessed coal except in thermal power plants, and reduce air and environmental pollution by 50% by 2025. This program involved collaboration across multiple sectors, recognizing that tackling air pollution requires a holistic approach.
• Coal Burning Ban: The Mongolian government announced a ban on coal burning in Ulaanbaatar starting in May, aiming to mitigate the city's air pollution. This initiative targets the winter months when household coal burning for heating contributes significantly to the city's air pollution.
• WHO Recommendations: WHO has provided several recommendations to reduce air pollution in Mongolia. They suggest implementing measures to alleviate traffic congestion and reduce the reliance on motorized transport in Ulaanbaatar. This includes creating green areas and relocating offices and commercial spaces to more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly locations. WHO also recommends stricter national standards for outdoor air quality, aligning with their Air Quality Guidelines.
• Addressing Mining Impacts: Mongolia's history of mining has contributed to air pollution, particularly from poorly maintained mining sites. Initiatives to ensure proper maintenance and reduce the side effects of mining operations can help mitigate particulate matter emissions.
• Improving Solid Waste Management: Proper waste management practices can reduce air pollution by minimizing the release of harmful substances into the atmosphere.
• Public Awareness and Action: Joining campaigns such as the WHO and UN Environment-led BreatheLife campaign can increase public awareness and encourage individual actions to reduce air pollution.
• Relocating Schools and Public Spaces: There is a need to address the proximity of schools and public spaces to sources of pollution, such as low-pressure boilers used for heating. Relocating or implementing cleaner energy alternatives can reduce the exposure of vulnerable groups to air pollutants.
• Reducing Rural-to-Urban Migration: Mongolia's rapid urbanization has contributed to the pollution in Ulaanbaatar. Initiatives that support the development of rural areas and address the push factors of migration can help distribute the population more evenly and reduce pollution concentrations in the capital.
• Promoting Walking and Cycling: Encouraging more walking and cycling, such as through infrastructure improvements, can reduce road congestion and lower pollution levels.
• Clean Air Zones: Implementing Clean Air Zones or Low Emission Zones can help reduce motorized transport and associated air pollution in congested urban areas.

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