In winter, as temperatures fall below –30°C, Ulaanbaatar, the world’s coldest capital, chokes under heavy, toxic coal smoke. For residents of Ulaanbaatar and other urban centres, winter brings not only bitter cold but also suffocating smog that endangers health and livelihoods.
Ms. Gantuya, a mother of three living in the sprawling ger areas, traditional round felt tents, in Chingeltei District of Ulaanbaatar, knows this reality well. Enduring the bitter cold was only part of the challenge.
Coal-driven air pollution is severely harming people’s health. UNICEF reports that exposure to toxic pollutants has devastating effects, particularly for children and pregnant women, increasing the incidence of stillbirth, preterm birth, pneumonia and other respiratory complications.
“My eldest daughter’s dust allergies made her miserable in the dusty, coal-smoke-filled air,” said Ms. Gantuya, featured in a UNDP Mongolia story.
A brighter chapter is emerging in Mongolia’s renewable energy journey. Ms. Gantuya is among 68 households demonstrating that the shift from coal to clean power is not only ambitious but achievable.
“Our home is warm and clean, and there’s no black smoke anymore. The solar system eliminated the need to purchase and transport coal, saving both time and money. My son now has more time to study instead of collecting coal, and my daughter’s allergies have improved,” she recalls.
The pilot Solar Facility project led by UNDP Mongolia introduced solar-powered heating as a clean alternative to coal. Using photovoltaic systems equipped with smart meters, the initiative reduces emissions, improves air quality, withstands Mongolia’s harsh winters, and enables carbon credit tracking.
UNICEF Mongolia is also supporting the country’s transition from coal to low-carbon and renewable energy by demonstrating multi-source low-carbon heating solutions for harsh climates. Renewable energy systems now power five rural primary schools and ten soum health centres. Solar-enabled WASH facilities have reached 37,490 people across ten provinces.
Through UNICEF’s flagship CHIP package, more than 25,000 people now enjoy warm, clean homes free from coal. Electric heaters, modern appliances, and improved insulation have been introduced in 6,000 ger households across 13 provinces and four districts of Ulaanbaatar by 2025.
Amaasuren, an elderly man living with his wife, shared that he once struggled to bring coal into their home during the heating season. Switching to a new electric heating stove has reduced their workload by nearly 50 per cent and eliminated the risk of slipping on ice, providing greater safety and peace of mind.
From Pilot to Expansion
With more than 90 per cent of energy still coal-based, Mongolia has set ambitious climate goals under its Nationally Determined Contribution NDC 3.0 and Vision 2050 to transition to clean energy. Although the country’s solar and wind potential exceeds 2,600 GW, renewables account for just 18.3 per cent of installed capacity as of 2023. Only 0.06 per cent of Mongolia’s vast renewable potential is currently utilised.
Pilot initiatives led by UNDP and UNICEF have demonstrated tangible results, reducing household coal use and improving the quality of life. Building on these successes, the Government is committed to expanding renewable-based heating and energy solutions for households while leveraging carbon market opportunities to ensure long-term sustainability.
With partner support, some households have already begun supplying surplus electricity to the central grid and generating income.
These locally rooted results are now informing national regulatory frameworks, carbon policy, and access to international climate finance. UN Mongolia supported the Government in developing its Just Energy Transition Framework JETF, a comprehensive plan that balances environmental, social, and economic priorities.
Backed by the Joint SDG Fund and led by the UN Resident Coordinator alongside UNDP, UNICEF, and UNESCAP, the Framework promotes clean energy, SME growth, and green infrastructure, ensuring vulnerable communities benefit from the transition.
As UN Resident Coordinator Jaap van Hierden noted, the Framework places people at the heart of Mongolia’s energy transition, fostering decent work and resilience across communities.
By 2035, the Framework is expected to serve as Mongolia’s national compass for an equitable and resilient energy transition.
Ms. Matilda Dimovska, UNDP Resident Representative in Mongolia, highlighted that the country’s energy future must be both green and just, with cleaner systems that create opportunity and leave no household, worker, or region behind.
Mr. Khicheengui Jantsan, Director General of the Policy and Planning Department at the Ministry of Energy, reaffirmed the Government’s full commitment to advancing Mongolia’s Just Energy Transition. He noted that the Framework provides a shared pathway to achieve national energy and climate goals aligned with domestic priorities and international commitments.
Original publication: https://mongolia.un.org/en/308872-accelerating-mongolia%E2%80%99s-just-energy-transition
Note:
All joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
