Ulaanbaatar air pollution turns survival into a health crisis as coal use spikes during Mongolia’s harsh winters. As temperatures plunge below -28°C (-18.4°F), most families turn to coal to survive the bitter cold. But the air they breathe, indoors and out, is becoming lethal.
A Hidden Killer in the Cold
In January, a family of six died in their sleep. Carbon monoxide had leaked from their coal-fired stove. By February, 811 deaths had been reported from carbon monoxide poisoning over the past seven years. And that’s just the beginning.
Air pollution kills in other ways, too. Roughly 7,000 people died this winter in Mongolia due to respiratory diseases, lung cancers, and complications worsened by the toxic smog. Children are the most vulnerable. Pneumonia is the top reason for pediatric hospitalizations. Pollution is the second leading cause of death in kids under five.
A Crisis Fueled by Coal and Climate
Over 70% of Mongolia’s energy comes from coal. When raw coal was banned in Ulaanbaatar in 2018, government-subsidized briquettes replaced it. But these brought a surge in carbon monoxide poisonings. In the capital’s sprawling ger districts, where over 800,000 people live in traditional felt tents, families burn about 23kg of coal per day in winter.
A record-breaking winter in 2024 killed over 10 million animals. Many herding families were forced to migrate into the city. Now, Ulaanbaatar—built in a valley that traps smog—is home to half the country’s population.
Hospitals Struggling to Keep Up
At the capital’s main child and maternity hospital, up to 400 children arrive each day. Dr. Oyuchiney Aatsan describes five pediatric ICU wards filled with pneumonia cases. Some babies are saved—but not always their brains.
“We advise wealthier families to leave the city in winter,” she says. “But most don’t have that option. Winter used to be beautiful. Now, it’s feared.”
Toxic Air, Political Inaction
Dr. Jigjidsuren Chinburen, a former cancer center director and now an MP, recently linked air pollution to rising liver cancer rates. He says, “This is an emergency. PM2.5 particles are reaching unborn babies.”
Traffic accounts for about 29% of Ulaanbaatar’s pollution. Coal-burning in ger areas contributes over 55%. Power plants do the rest. Sulfur dioxide levels in January 2024 reached 14 times the national safety limit.
Despite the growing crisis, government action has been minimal. A plan to transition families into apartments has stalled due to a lack of housing and resistance from nomadic communities used to open land.
People Want Solutions, Not Blame
Activists say families in gers have been scapegoated. “They’re painted as polluters, but they’re really the victims,” says Mungunkhishig Batbaatar, whose petition on pollution gathered 71,000 signatures in three hours.
Simple changes could make a difference. Proper insulation alone could reduce pollution by 40-60%. Green energy sources like solar and wind could offer cleaner alternatives, but progress is slow.
Trapped Between Coal and Cold
Byambauren Gansukh, a mother of six, tried using a free electric heater. But after energy prices doubled, she switched back to coal—without a carbon monoxide alarm.
At School 151, former herder Batbold Vandan now shovels 30 bags of coal a day into the school’s boiler. “I didn’t know the pollution would be this bad,” he says. “If I could, I’d go back to the countryside.”
Until real change happens, Mongolians will keep fighting to survive a winter that is no longer just cold—but deadly.
Source: The Guardian
