Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The National Committee for Environmental Pollution Reduction and the UNICEF in Mongolia started their cooperation in 2019, attaching attention on mitigating air pollution, reducing negative impacts of air pollution to pregnant mothers and children as well as introducing electric heating appliance to households in ger areas by eliminating coal consumption as well as making people aware of living environmentally-friendly.

On September 23, Minister of Environment and Tourism D.Sarangerel received Representative of the UNICEF to Mongolia Alex Heikens to share information on ongoing projects and programs within the cooperation.

“We have carried out several works within the air pollution reduction project, which is being financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and realized by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia and UNICEF. In particular, air quality monitors have been installed in Bayankhongor aimag alongside use of low-cost, undersized devices.

Furthermore, heating and insulation package for Mongolian ger (a traditional yurt) or CHIPS (Cooking, Heating, Insulation, Product and Service) started to be produced last winter based on our own experience in partnership with our domestic and international partner organizations and the Mongolian University of Science and Technology. The package has been installed in 200 households of Bayankhongor aimag to make measurement and study. And the study reveals that the households benefit from economic savings by using electric heating appliance aside from number of positive outcomes such as being provided with condition to live in clean environment and save their time. In addition, we are happy that the package has become one of products of "Green Loan" issued by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism in collaboration with the Mongolian Bankers Association,” said Mr. Alex Heikens.

Minister D.Sarangerel said that air pollution level is increasing in recent years not only in Ulaanbaatar city but also in aimags. We are proud of your team for doing effective works in Bayankhongor aimag, which is one of five aimags where air pollution level is high. I am glad to hear that it will make tangible contribution in mitigating air pollution and providing people with favorable living condition once we introduce the heating and insulation package for Mongolian ger, in the capital city and other aimags further. The Ministry will provide all-round support for accomplishing Government's goal to reduce air pollution up to 80 percent.