A forum entitled ‘International New Energy-2019’ was held at Ulaanbaatar’s Corporate Convention Centre on 23 May. The forum has been attended by over 600 delegates from the Mongolian Government, private enterprises, non-governmental organisations and foreign experts.

Under the Paris Climate Chance Agreement, Mongolia aimed to decrease CO2 emissions by 14 percent during the period from 2014 to 2030. In addition, the country set goals to increase the use of renewable energy to 20 percent by 2020 and 30 percent by 2030.

Currently, Mongolia provides 17 percent of its energy needs from renewable energy sources. A total of USD 430 million was invested to Mongolia’s renewable energy sector over the last three years; as a result, the country annually cuts 700 thousand tonnes of carbon emissions.

This good news is, of course, offset by the winter pollution problems, making the Mongolian capital one of the smoggiest places on the planet. It is to be hoped that the briquettes currently being introduced will help solve this problem.