After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Mongolian Government initiated policies that allowed the mining industry to operate with relatively few regulations, for the purpose of economic growth. Approximately 80% of vehicles in the city do not meet emission or fuel efficiency standards. The current population is more than twice that, and it shows — in the traffic and in the air. Backed by the Asian Development Bank, the ger areas development project is piloting services in Bayankhoshuu and Selbe — two of the most polluted neighborhoods in the city. Smog obscures visibility and chokes streets with pollutants, including ground-level ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide. Winter will be a test. USA 501(c)(3) non-profit. Ask your medical practitioner if a face mask is advisable for you. It also exacerbates asthma and emphysema. hide caption. Chronic diseases like bronchitis and asthma are pulling kids out of school and their parents out of work to care for them. [3] At least 90% of Mongolia's pastureland has experienced some level of desertification. In late January 2018, Ulaanbaatar made international headlines when one government-installed sensor reported a PM2.5 concentration of 3,320 per cubic meter. The current population is more than twice that, and it shows — in the traffic and in the air. [8] The group participated in grassroots organizing activities and succeeded in stopping 36 out of 37 mining licenses issued along the Ongi River. But inside, the coal fire crackles and fills the ger with warmth. [3], In Mongolia, over 70% of pastureland is now degraded, and the vegetation growth rate has shrunken by a factor of 5. One of the groups that arose after the HWPC was the United Movement of Mongolian Rivers and Lakes. PM2.5 particles are more concerning because their small size allows them to travel deeper into the cardiopulmonary system. In December 2018, her 6-year-old, Altanshagai Dorjsuren, was diagnosed with double pneumonia. Air pollution is also associated with heart attacks and strokes. The fellowship is sponsored by the John Alexander Project, which supports foreign reporting in undercovered parts of the world. When temperatures drop, the streets grow hazy. Perched on a foundation of tires, the home of 46-year-old Chantsal Vaanjir is a cozy oasis on a February afternoon. Travellers with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) should carry an inhaler, antibiotic, or oral steroid - consult your doctor to see what is best for you. "I guess it's how my parents raised me.". Is it COVID-19 or the flu? The city was designed to accommodate 600,000 people. The black bricks are cheap and plentiful, sold in 33-pound bags on the street for about 3,000 Mongolian tugriks ($1.13). Additional reporting and translations were provided by Ganbat Namjilsangarav. But will that make a difference? The former herder now works as a cleaner, living in the ger district with her three school-age children: Uyanga Chantsal (from left), 13; Altanshagai Dorjsuren, 6; and Bujin Chantsal, 11. We love our city, so everybody needs to chip in," says Ulziibayar Gonchig, 35, the head of strategic planning for Ulaanbaatar's governor. That reality seems distant, but project leader Boloroo Naranbaatar, 43, is determined. Between 1990 and 2001, the government has spent $24.6 million on 14 anti-desertification projects in Mongolia. Exams are kept short, at just five minutes, to keep up with demand. Outside, it's 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Will It Work? The government plans to replace raw coal with fuel-efficient briquettes made from semicoke. Curled up on his mother's lap, Altanshagai recounts that time. They have to make heat in order to cook and feed themselves. [2] Between 1996 and 2009 up to a third of rivers dried out or were impacted by drought conditions. Winters with extreme air pollution. It's for all of our benefit. But for those who do, researchers estimate that 200,000 gers burn 600,000 tons of raw coal every winter to stay warm. Next year will be much easier. The coal-fired power plants of Ulaanbaatar add to the city's air pollution as well. You can review our privacy policy to find out more about the cookies we use. The capital city's name, Ulaanbaatar, meaning "Red Hero," was adopted in 1924 to mark the beginning of Mongolia's Soviet-style communist era. To give you the best possible experience, this site uses cookies. At the tail end of this winter, the government took a dramatic step: In March, it decided to ban raw coal. hide caption. hide caption. Between 2008 and 2010 Mongolia experienced 153 extreme events, most of which being strong winds, storms, and floods from run-off. Kindergartners at a brand-new school in Bayankhoshuu, one of the most polluted neighborhoods in Ulaanbaatar. Chantsal — Mongolians go by their first names — moved to Ulaanbaatar from the rural province of Selenge in 2001. But coal dependence comes at a price. [2], The Mongolian government has created a National Committee to Combat Desertification and National Center to Combat Desertification. This results in vehicles adding 70 tons of pollutants to the air every year. [3], Indoor air pollution is a problem in Mongolia, due to the burning of coal and biomass as fuels within homes, and improper ventilation. hide caption. But it reveals something else too: Upwards of 80% of the pollution comes from a single part of the city, known as the ger district. Other notable laws include the Mongolian Law on Hunting (1995) that regulates the protection and proper use of hunted animals, The Mongolian Law on Natural Plants (1995) that regulates protection and restoration of plants, and The Law on Water (1995), which protects water reserves and quality. But life is more difficult in the countryside because there are no paid jobs," she says. and be grateful. hide caption. In the gers (traditional Mongolian dwellings), coal is the most used form of fuel, and the burning of coal and other biomass (such as wood, crop residue etc.) Mining has been identified as the cause of pollution in 28 rivers and streams. Families burn one or two bags a night. Trees were also cut for use as fuel, amounting to a yearly 1.3 million cubic meters of wood a year. Mongolia's Capital Banned Coal To Fix Its Pollution Problem. Boloroo Naranbaatar, 43, argues that air quality will improve when quality of life improves in the ger district. Long term effects include lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory illness, and developing allergies. Winter nights in Ulaanbaatar can drop to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Mining’s share of Mongolia’s economy has doubled in a decade. Mongolia's mining industry is linked with water pollution issues. You fail? By 2000, over 1.2 million ha of forested land had been invaded by pests. Another is deforestation, which is expanding due to human recklessness, pests, disease, and fire. "Here it got painful," he says, pointing to his chest. [3], Mongolia supports an innate biodiversity, owing to its unique and often undisturbed ecosystems. Unborn children are affected too. She fears it's not enough. Exams are kept short, at just five minutes, to keep up with demand. The sign affixed to the fence says the family is willing to purchase a low-emission stove. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Mongolian Government initiated policies that allowed the mining industry to operate with relatively few regulations, for the purpose of economic growth. you will at last be able to give in such a way that the other is able to receive The most dangerous pollutants are fine particles, called PM2.5, tiny enough to slide past lung tissue deep into the bloodstream. Claire Harbage/NPR of International Medical Training (FSIMT), Website by: SNAP 360° | Editorial Policy | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy. In winter the Bayanzurkh Medical Center sees 70 to 80 children a day. Nurses listen to the lungs of kindergarteners in Bayankhoshuu, where a new school guarantees children clean air for a few hours a day. [1], Another result of these meteorological shifts is expected to be precipitation that occurs in concentrated bursts and cannot be absorbed by the soil. This group was instrumental in winning the passage of a law that prohibited mining at the headwater of rivers. Dr. Enkhzul Jargal, 50, oversees the Bayanzurkh Medical Center. Seasonal variations in pollution exist, with the highest levels occurring in the winter (December to February) due to solid fuel use. To the human ear, it sounded like purring. Realities must change on the ground if there's any hope of seeing changes in the air. Last winter, a report by UNICEF Mongolia deemed the situation a "child health crisis." [2], Last edited on 9 September 2020, at 04:59, many coal-fired power plants in Ulaanbatar, Hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicle, "REPORT ON STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT OF MONGOLIA, 2008-2010", "Mongolia: State of the Environment 2002", "Indoor Air Pollution in Cold Climates: The Cases of Mongolia and China", "Environmental Challenges of Urban Development", "Mobilizing against Dispossession : Gold Mining and a Local Resistance Movement in Mongolia", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Environmental_issues_in_Mongolia&oldid=977492752, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 9 September 2020, at 04:59. Geography has a role to play too. These laws have been supplemented by other forest protection regulations and resolutions. The major environmental problems facing Mongolia today: Desertification Pollution of water supply Urban air pollution Illegal timber harvesting Illegal hunting of endangered species Of these, air pollution and desertification are perhaps the most endemic, and result from broad economic problems. [3], Three central pieces of legislation in dealing with this issue have been the "Law on Forests," the "Law on Protection of Forests and Steppe Fires," and the "Law on Levying Fees on the Harvest of Timber and Firewood." Able to be disassembled in less than an hour, gers are used by herders to move from place to place. At the Bayanzurkh Medical Center in Ulaanbaatar, patients pack the hallways. Claire Harbage/NPR Another phenomenon is the harvest of rare and valuable animals by foreign hunters who carry special licenses. Her office is wallpapered with animals to put sick children at ease. [2] Additionally, the state has a weak site monitoring system. It has some of the last populations of the world's endangered species, and has many species that can only be found within it. But like most of the ger district, the family lives without centralized heating, water and sewage. Gers are circular, one-room homes made of felt wrapped around a wooden frame.
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