The findings are still preliminary and more research must be done. New Buses to Serve Public Transport in Ulaanbaatar. Filters though can be expensive and may not work for everybody. On most days, from my office window, I can now see the beautiful snow-dappled mountains that surround UB; during the heavily polluted winter months the horizon is completely hidden behind a thick grey-brown smoky haze. In the end officials admit there are just too many people living in the capital. F or those living in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, air pollution is a fact of life during winter months. The World Bank Group works in every major area of development. “Improving air quality management in Ulaanbaatar and reducing pollution concentrations would prevent illnesses, save lives and avoid enormous health costs.” Mostly described, as sunny, peaceful and open, Ulaanbaatar is a city of contrast where modern life comfortably blends with Mongolian traditional lifestyle. As a mother I am very worried about my children’s health and my neighbors’ newborns,” Gerelchimeg says. The difference a few months makes is striking.
But few are so amusing, ... It’s also one of the most polluted cities in the world for a few months out of the year, thanks to the impoverished ger districts’ reliance on cheap but inefficient coal fires for warmth and light, and the heavy use of coal in the rest of the nation. There are also new images from NASA showing how bad the situation has really escalated over the last year.The extent of smog over China taken by the NASA/NOAA Suomi NPP satellite (Photo courtesy NASA/NOAA) We use cookies on this site to improve your experience as explained in our Cookie Policy. I don’t want my children to be sick only because they are living in ger areas.” " Monday, October 28, 2013, 8:54 PM - We've seen the pictures of polluted cities and people wearing masks throughout China but its smog problem is … These toxic emissions are one of the main reasons Ulaanbaatar is one of most polluted cities on Earth, according to the World Health Organisation. You can reject cookies by changing your browser settings. Global data and statistics, research and publications, and topics in poverty and developmentWe face big challenges to help the world’s poorest people and ensure that everyone sees benefits from economic growth. It's the coldest capital in the world, a place many could not locate on a map.It has a population just over a twentieth of Beijing, yet according to the Ulan Bator, a historic centre of the ancient world and a city that still maintains a strong connection to its nomadic roots is not the first place that comes to mind when you think of pollution.Unfortunately, as temperatures plunge and winter sets in, people begin to seek heat by firing up old, coal-powered stoves.Millions of stoves ignited around the same time produce a smog so thick, it hangs like a yellow cloud you can see from any hilltop.The stoves are a staple of traditional Yurt (portable tent) living and a common feature in the homes of the poorest residents of Ulan Bator.More than half the city's inhabitants rely on them to cook and keep warm, as temperatures can drop to - 40C.Pollution is believed to be responsible for one in ten deaths and a 45 per cent rise in the number of patients with respiratory illnesses between 2004 and 2008.There is now a fear that the reach of air pollution could be extending to foetuses, causing birth defects.This has authorities looking at solutions to curb emissions quickly. If substantial pollution reduction is to be achieved, rural areas must be developed and Ulan Bator must stop expanding. Ulaanbaatar’s air pollution problem has grown with the city, which has almost tripled in size since 1990, and today accommodates just under 1.5 million people. We provide a wide array of financial products and technical assistance, and we help countries share and apply innovative knowledge and solutions to the challenges they face. This choking smog blots out the sun and smells of burnt coal. Your feedback is very helpful to us as we work to improve the site functionality on worldbank.org.