Breathing Toxic Air Amid Ulaanbaatar's Escalating Pollution Crisis

Ulaanbaatar, smothered in coal smoke, is facing a crisis that threatens both public health and public trust. A grassroots movement, reflected in a 71,000-signature parliamentary petition, demands accountability for air pollution levels that exceed WHO guidelines on the coldest days by 27 times. Allegations of corruption tied to the state-owned "Tavan Tolgoi Fuel" (TTF) subsidized fuel program have further fueled public anger, pushing frustration to a boiling point.

The problem is rooted in Ulaanbaatar’s brutal winters, which last more than half the year and drive the city’s heavy reliance on coal to stay warm. Many residents live in traditional gers, heated by stoves that burn coal.