Mongolia brought together high-level government leaders and key stakeholders to advance coordinated efforts towards a clean household energy transition.

The National Forum on a Stepwise Approach to Phasing Out Household Coal Use was jointly led by the Ministries of Health; Environment and Climate Change; Urban Development, Construction and Housing; and Energy, and the Governor’s Office of the Capital City, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO).

At the Forum, the ministries, together with WHO, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), launched the Call for Action for Clean Energy for Health, mobilizing coordinated action to accelerate Mongolia’s transition to clean household energy and advance the proposed “Roadmap for a Stepwise Approach to Phasing Out Household Coal Use, 2027–2040.” The roadmap provides a shared, phased framework for coordinating multisectoral action, guiding investment, and aligning implementation with the country’s health, air quality, energy, climate, housing, and social development priorities.

Household coal use remains a major source of air pollution, particularly in the ger areas of Ulaanbaatar, provincial centres and rural soum centres. In 2021, the combined effects of ambient and household air pollution were associated with an estimated 2,895 deaths in Mongolia. Children, pregnant women, older people, and people living with chronic conditions face particularly serious health risks.

Access to cleaner household energy also remains unequal. An estimated 76% of urban residents use clean fuels and technologies for cooking, compared with only 22% of rural residents. The transition must therefore respond to the diverse needs of urban, peri-urban, and rural households while ensuring that vulnerable and energy-poor families are not left behind.

During the Forum, Minister of Health Batshugar Enkhbayar said: “Transitioning to clean household energy is essential to protecting public health, preventing disease, and creating healthier and safer living environments. Building on existing policies and measures, including restrictions on raw coal use, the introduction of electric and gas heating solutions, and improvements in housing insulation, will be important to accelerating this transition.

Published Date:2026-11-04