Mongolia, known for its wide-open steppes and Genghis Khan heritage, is ground zero. The harsh winter of 2024 has brought in intense air pollution, killing almost 7,000 of its people tragically enough. This shocking calamity lies amid the rubble of a once-great country. The genius of Genghis Khan was in unifying the disparate nomadic tribes to form the most powerful land empire in human history. At its height, the empire spread across 12 million square miles and had a reputation for its thriving trade routes and religious tolerance. For contemporary Mongolia, the reality is a different story. Families who were previously stoked on their nomadic life are regularly asking for shelter in cities due to energy-draining conditions embedded deep in the climate.
Worsening winter weather has contributed to more than 10 million livestock deaths out of a total of 64 million. The end result has seen entire families uprooted by necessity, leaving their ancestral lifestyle behind as they pursued a new life where jobs remained. Many are forced into urban areas in order to seek employment and education prospects. Each person in these families that moves increases urban air pollution. Health problems are already prevalent across the region. As coal is the dominant energy source, about 70% for Mongolia, it turns into an important pollutant within the winter months.
Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, is known for having some of the worst air quality in the world in this season. Pollution levels often exceed safe standards by as much as 12 to 13 times. In return, hospitals are facing an overwhelming wave of respiratory diseases, particularly in pediatrics. Out of concern for the disease’s suspected severity, medical centers during the winter construct extra intensive care units just for pneumonia patients.
Unurbat Dory, a local environmental expert, highlights the pollution sources in Ulaanbaatar:
“In the city the latest figures show 55-56% [of pollution] comes from the ger districts, traffic causes 28-29%, and the rest is the power stations.”
The health ramifications are severe. The population continues to suffer from increasing rates of liver and lung cancers. Moreover, they are disproportionately impacted by asthma attacks and repeated influenza illness. Byambauren Gansukh, a mother affected by these conditions, expresses her despair:
“Mid-November to mid-February is when pollution is at its worst, so if you look at the data of the annual average, Mongolia doesn’t look so bad. But it is. You know that the colder it is, the worse the air quality will be because of the burning of coal.”
Millions of other families face dangerous—and sometimes deadly—heating alternatives. Gansukh laments her situation:
“The deaths are mostly among the babies. Premature births and miscarriage rates are very bad in the winter. I feel sorry that we have a vast beautiful country, so big, and we are all crammed in this small place and our children are sick.”
Gansukh states:
“Although they took away the carbon monoxide alarm when they gave me this, so I’m left worse off. Back to coal but now with no alarm if it goes wrong.”
This kind of sentiment speaks to the larger mounting push-back from herding families who love their heritage and way of life and don’t want to be urbanized.
“We won’t go back to the city.”
Dr. Jigjidsuren Chinburen advocates for immediate measures:
The awareness of this crisis seems to be short-lived with some residents. Dory comments on public perception:
“We need our government to support the people who are trying to fight air pollution. In the short term, we need to insulate housing and refine the coal.”
He further notes how people are often taken by surprise when winter returns:
“Some do, some don’t. Nobody cares, as after winter the air pollution is not so bad and everyone forgets.”
The health impacts go beyond short-term respiratory effects. Aatsan, a healthcare worker, reveals concerns about long-term developmental effects on children exposed to high pollution levels:
“Then once winter starts they are surprised again.”
As Mongolia navigates its current challenges, it draws upon a storied past that continues to inspire hope for a better future. When we reflect on Genghis Khan’s legacy, let us remember and bring forth the people’s spirit of resilience, strength and unification. Today’s Mongolians are rightfully proud of their progress and their cultural heritage, but they haven’t stopped working for a more democratic and equitable future. Activists are asking the public to hold EPA accountable on air pollution. They demand policy changes and greater support for sustainable practices.
“There is no follow-up with such cases, so we don’t know if the child goes on to have violent outbursts, mood swings, cognitive impairment. Mild symptoms and we can save the child, but not always their brain.”
As Mongolia navigates its current challenges, it also draws upon a storied past that continues to inspire hope for a better future. The legacy of Genghis Khan serves as a reminder of resilience and unification among the people. Modern Mongolians take pride in their history and continue to strive for improvements in their society. The struggle against air pollution has emerged as a rallying point for activists seeking policy changes and increased support for sustainable practices.