Historically, Mongolia has had a close connection with air pollution due to the practices of Chinggis Khaan and the Mongol Empire. The Mongol Empire was known for its large herds of livestock, which were raised for food, transportation, and clothing. These animals produced large amounts of methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas and a significant contributor to climate change. Additionally, the Mongol Empire was known for its large-scale warfare and the burning of cities, which would have released large amounts of smoke and particulate matter into the air. Today, Mongolia faces severe air pollution challenges, primarily due to its reliance on coal for heating during the long, harsh winters.
Air pollution in Mongolia and impact on health
The country’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, is particularly affected, with severe smog and particulate matter pollution levels during the winter months. These high pollution levels have significant impacts on public health, with respiratory diseases and other illnesses becoming more prevalent as research continues to unveil deeply concerning findings. In terms of statistics, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), Ulaanbaatar has some of the highest levels of particulate matter pollution in the world, with an average concentration of PM2.5 (particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter) of 62 micrograms per cubic meter in 2018. This is over 10x times the WHO’s recommended annual norms! The data science team at Airly have integrated these WHO standards in our Airly Data Platform so users can always see how the air they are interested in is performing against these standards.
Raising awareness of Mongolia air pollution
Multiple initiatives are under way to create more awareness. One most impactful initiative is where Hi-Pay, a Mongolian Fintech Group company and Airly, embarked on a partnership to start informing citizens about real time data about Mongolia air pollution. The Hi-Pay application besides banking services also offers lifestyle and environmental insights powered by Airly. A stunning average of 300,000 interactions are being recorded daily, which demonstrates how concerned the population is in Mongolia. Just relying on reference station data provided limited actionability, and cities are unable to pinpoint the sources of pollution. However, with the support of a 50+ network of Airly monitors, this allows for hyper local and actionable insight measured with very short 5-minute intervals from many different places. This is the true value of having a network of low-cost air quality monitors.
Breathe Mongolia is another great initiative which functions almost as a watchdog and also takes on the behavioral side through education and lobbying for more initiatives. This clean air coalition works closely with communities as well as creating an online hub with useful advice and ways to support the cause. We look forward to continuing our flourishing partnership and support the right for clean air.