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Environment & Sustainability Guide

Air quality, green spaces, and environmental policies in Mongolia

Mongolia faces significant environmental challenges including severe air pollution, desertification affecting 77% of land, and rapid warming of 2.14°C over 70 years—2-3 times the global average. PM2.5 levels dropped from 58.5 µg/m³ in 2018 to 25.63 µg/m³ in 2024 but remain 5.1 times WHO guidelines. The country commits to 22.7% GHG reduction by 2030, with stable air quality trends and commitments to renewables amid climate-driven droughts and heatwaves.

Air Quality Index

Moderate

5.5/10(AQI: 88)

Stable trend

Mongolia's air quality shows stable trends per database, with PM2.5 at 25.63 µg/m³ in 2024 (down from 58.5 in 2018), ranking 28th globally but 5.1x WHO guideline. Ulaanbaatar suffers winter coal burning pollution; initiatives target reductions but enforcement challenges persist.

Water Quality

Moderate

5.0/10

Over 360 rivers, streams, lakes, and springs dried up by 2023 due to desertification and climate change. Water security threatened by contamination from mining and overexploitation; access varies, with rural nomadic populations vulnerable. Government monitoring exists but pollution from industry persists.

Urban areas have treatment but rural access limited; climate impacts exacerbate scarcity.

Recycling System

Waste to Ulaanbaatar sites rose from 1.1M tons (2013) to 1.5M tons (2023), straining infrastructure. Limited formal recycling; focus on waste management improvements needed amid urbanization.

Green Spaces

Desertification impacts 77% of land; forest-steppe zone expected to lose 4-6% forest this century. Permafrost declined 33.7% past 50 years. Protected areas exist but degradation from overgrazing and climate change threatens ecosystems.

Forest Coverage: 7.3%

National Parks: 14

Includes Gobi Gurvansaikhan and Khustain Nuruu; efforts to restore 10% degraded rangelands.

Environmental Policies

Committed to 22.7% GHG reduction by 2030 vs BAU; NDC targets emissions cuts, renewable expansion. Policies include afforestation, EV uptake, public transport improvements. Framework fragmented; mining/coal dependency hinders progress.

Key Policies:

•NDC 22.7% GHG reduction by 2030
•Rangeland restoration 10% by 2035

Renewable Energy: Lagging on renewable share increase despite pledges.

Natural Disaster Risk

HIGH

Common disasters: dzuds (harsh winters killing livestock), droughts, floods, wildfires. High risk due to climate vulnerability.

dzudsdroughtsfloodswildfires

Climate Change Impacts: Average temperature rose 2.14°C past 70 years (2-3x global rate). Projections: +1.2-2.1°C by 2050, +1.2-6.5°C by 2080; heatwaves extend 3 days avg; winter precip +9-55% by 2080; arid areas +3.7%, semi-arid +5.9% by 2030; permafrost -33.7% past 50y; more frequent droughts, heatwaves impacting agriculture/livestock.

Sustainability Initiatives

Renewable Energy

Pledged increase in renewable share in energy mix; targets part of NDC but currently lagging due to coal dominance and 5-7% annual energy demand growth.

Waste Management

Addressing waste increase to 1.5M tons/year in Ulaanbaatar; NDC measures in waste sector for GHG reduction.

Rangeland Restoration

Plan to restore 10% heavily degraded rangelands in forest-steppe/steppe zones, sequestering 1.8M t CO2-eq by 2030.

Wildlife & Nature

Przewalski's HorseVulnerable

Siberian IbexNear Threatened

Mongolian GazelleRecovering

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