Mongolian government officials led by Prime Minister U.Khurelsukh have visited four the most air-polluted areas of Ulaanbaatar. They made their trip at  6.00 p.m when the stoves in the sprawling ger districts are being lit and the air is dense with thick eye-watering smoke. Here they were exposed to air that is 7.5 times higher than the World Health Organization’s safety limit.  

The government delegation included MP M.Oyunchimeg, Minister of Environment and Tourism N.Tserenbat, Ulaanbaatar City Mayor S.Batbold, State Secretary of Ministry of Energy Z.Mendsaikhan, and Deputy of Mayor on Green Development and Air Pollution J.Batbayasgalan.

Ulaanbaatar is among the ten most polluted cities in the world. Over 200,000 households living in the ger districts burn poor quality coal for heating and cooking during the winter – during which time temperatures can plummet to –40 °C.