For most of the year Ulaanbaatar’s skies are clear, however, between November and March, visibility beyond a few blocks is nearly impossible in many parts of the city because of the dense acrid smog. A total of 220,000 households in the ger districts are blamed for Ulaanbaatar’s air pollution. Ulaanbaatar’s “harmful dust” is 6-7 times higher than the most lenient World Health Organisation standards. During the winter months the capital’s hospitals fill to overflowing – mostly with the very young and the elderly. Sadly, during this period mortality levels rise drastically.

A national programme for fighting air-pollution was approved by Mongolian Parliament at a meeting on 20 March. Under the programme, the Ulaanbaatar city administration regulated to cut the electricity night tariff for ger district households to zero, especially from 9pm to 6am, aiming to increase the use of electric heating devices. Nearly 20,000 household are now using electric heating in wintertime. This is equivalent to burning 50,000 tonnes of coal.

Mongolian government is expecting to decrease killer smog by 10 percent by 2019.