WHO releases policy brief on Mongolia's air pollution

Mongolia’s air pollution level is 6-10 times higher than those considered safe by the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines. According to WHO, the data from 2011 to 2015 shows that annual mean concentrations of PM has been decreasing, however, annual mean concentrations are around 2-3 folds higher than the national guideline values. Other pollutants such as SO2 have progressively augmented in the last twenty years and NO2 values have remained high. Last decade, a couple of surveys on ambient and household air pollution and its impact were locally conducted and findings of these surveys have been used for evidence-informed decision making. A joint research team of Mongolia and Canada estimated in 2011 that 29 percent of cardiopulmonary deaths and 40 percent of lung cancer deaths in Ulaanbaatar city are attributable to ambient air pollution. The 2017 National Program on Reduction of Air and Environmental Pollution provides a roadmap to decrease air pollutants by 80 percent, prohibit the use of unprocessed coal anywhere except for thermal power plants in Ulaanbaatar, and reduce air and environmental pollution by at least 50 percent by 2025. WHO reviewed that it is crucial to conduct systematic assessment of the sources of air pollution, and identify the most effective interventions to eliminate or control them.