Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ULAANBAATAR704
2007-12-21 00:21:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Cable title:
COUGH, COUGH: DONORS ENERGIZED AS ULAANBAATAR'S AIR
how-toVZCZCXRO7200 RR RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD DE RUEHUM #0704/01 3550021 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 210021Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1752 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5905 RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0227 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2025 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0108 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0069 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 3095 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2790 RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA 1576 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0234 RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 1662 RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0070 RUEHVK/AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 0198 RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RHMFISS/HQ EPA WASHINGTON DC 0030 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ULAANBAATAR 000704
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/CM, EAP/EX and OES
STATE PASS USTR FOR WINELAND
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PREL EAID PGOV MG
SUBJECT: COUGH, COUGH: DONORS ENERGIZED AS ULAANBAATAR'S AIR
POLLUTION WORSENS
ULAANBAATA 00000704 001.2 OF 002
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ULAANBAATAR 000704
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/CM, EAP/EX and OES
STATE PASS USTR FOR WINELAND
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PREL EAID PGOV MG
SUBJECT: COUGH, COUGH: DONORS ENERGIZED AS ULAANBAATAR'S AIR
POLLUTION WORSENS
ULAANBAATA 00000704 001.2 OF 002
1. SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION: World Bank Mongolia Director Arshad
asked a gathering of diplomatic corps and other partners December 18
to review proposals to address Ulaanbaatar's growing air pollution
problem. The pollution topic was added to the agenda of a
preparatory discussion for the January 28/29 GOM/partners' technical
meeting. Arshad noted that several partners had, in recent years,
drawn attention to this growing problem and that a severe decline in
air quality in recent months had galvanized both the GOM and
partners to seek short- and long-term solutions. The World Bank's
paper summarizing current efforts and contributions (gisted in paras
2 to 6 below.) was distributed. Some speakers expressed
appreciation that increasingly serious air pollution levels were
finally being elevated to "emergency" status, while a few feared
donor efforts might diminish GOM commitment to seek sustainable,
long-term solutions to the problem. One speaker opined that even if
the emergency fixes proposed succeed in halving current pollution
levels, the city would still be left with pollution at six times
acceptable levels. (Comment: At 10:00am that morning, visibility
by the Embassy chancery was barely 200 meters, for example.) END
SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION.
Gisted Text of World Bank Clean Air Project Paper
-------------- --------------
2. Ulaanbaatar is nearly unlivable due to wintertime air pollution.
Ground level air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, measured in terms of
Particle Matter, is estimated to be between two and 12 times minimum
accepted standards in summer and winter respectively. After the
Government of Mongolia (GOM) asked the World Bank for assistance in
dealing with the pollution issue, and the proposed project was
developed and will contain following components: (A) Improved
Heating stoves and Fuels, (B) Replacement of Inefficient Heating
Boilers, and, (C) Enhancement of Air Quality Management Capacity in
UB City.
3. The Ministry of Finance has asked the World Bank to coordinate
all activities. The Ulaanbaatar Municipality will lead the effort to
conquer air pollution. The Bank has been providing assistance
through trust fund financed studies to deepen the knowledge base and
to baseline the situation. Two roundtable discussions were organized
in June and October 2007 highlighting donor efforts, the Master Plan
of Air Pollution Reduction in Ulaanbaatar, and preliminary analyses
on the severity of air pollution.
4. The Ulaanbaatar Clean Air Project proposal was created with a
projected price tag of US$23 million: $15 million will come from
IDA, US$3 million from PHRD (Japan),and the remaining US$5 million
supplied by the GOM.
5. Main sources of air pollution in Ulaanbaatar (UB) are households'
stoves in urban and suburban ger (yurt) areas, heat only boilers,
power plants, unpaved roads, garbage burning etc. Previously it was
thought that inefficient coal fired thermal power plants were the
primary cause of UB's air pollution, but the city's burgeoning ger
districts are now acknowledged to play an increasing role. A dearth
of precise monitoring data prevents authorities from more decisively
pointing to the worst pollution sources.
6. There are several activities which are ongoing. A baseline
household energy survey for 1,000 households and fuel consumption
tests for 60 households are being conducted in ger areas around
Ulaanbaatar and stove-fuel emissions as well as coal vs. coal
bricket laboratory tests will be carried out between December 2007
and January 2008 An inventory study, baseline analysis and market
and technology survey for low pressure heat-only boilers will also
be conducted.
ULAANBAATA 00000704 002.4 OF 002
Minton
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/CM, EAP/EX and OES
STATE PASS USTR FOR WINELAND
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PREL EAID PGOV MG
SUBJECT: COUGH, COUGH: DONORS ENERGIZED AS ULAANBAATAR'S AIR
POLLUTION WORSENS
ULAANBAATA 00000704 001.2 OF 002
1. SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION: World Bank Mongolia Director Arshad
asked a gathering of diplomatic corps and other partners December 18
to review proposals to address Ulaanbaatar's growing air pollution
problem. The pollution topic was added to the agenda of a
preparatory discussion for the January 28/29 GOM/partners' technical
meeting. Arshad noted that several partners had, in recent years,
drawn attention to this growing problem and that a severe decline in
air quality in recent months had galvanized both the GOM and
partners to seek short- and long-term solutions. The World Bank's
paper summarizing current efforts and contributions (gisted in paras
2 to 6 below.) was distributed. Some speakers expressed
appreciation that increasingly serious air pollution levels were
finally being elevated to "emergency" status, while a few feared
donor efforts might diminish GOM commitment to seek sustainable,
long-term solutions to the problem. One speaker opined that even if
the emergency fixes proposed succeed in halving current pollution
levels, the city would still be left with pollution at six times
acceptable levels. (Comment: At 10:00am that morning, visibility
by the Embassy chancery was barely 200 meters, for example.) END
SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION.
Gisted Text of World Bank Clean Air Project Paper
-------------- --------------
2. Ulaanbaatar is nearly unlivable due to wintertime air pollution.
Ground level air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, measured in terms of
Particle Matter, is estimated to be between two and 12 times minimum
accepted standards in summer and winter respectively. After the
Government of Mongolia (GOM) asked the World Bank for assistance in
dealing with the pollution issue, and the proposed project was
developed and will contain following components: (A) Improved
Heating stoves and Fuels, (B) Replacement of Inefficient Heating
Boilers, and, (C) Enhancement of Air Quality Management Capacity in
UB City.
3. The Ministry of Finance has asked the World Bank to coordinate
all activities. The Ulaanbaatar Municipality will lead the effort to
conquer air pollution. The Bank has been providing assistance
through trust fund financed studies to deepen the knowledge base and
to baseline the situation. Two roundtable discussions were organized
in June and October 2007 highlighting donor efforts, the Master Plan
of Air Pollution Reduction in Ulaanbaatar, and preliminary analyses
on the severity of air pollution.
4. The Ulaanbaatar Clean Air Project proposal was created with a
projected price tag of US$23 million: $15 million will come from
IDA, US$3 million from PHRD (Japan),and the remaining US$5 million
supplied by the GOM.
5. Main sources of air pollution in Ulaanbaatar (UB) are households'
stoves in urban and suburban ger (yurt) areas, heat only boilers,
power plants, unpaved roads, garbage burning etc. Previously it was
thought that inefficient coal fired thermal power plants were the
primary cause of UB's air pollution, but the city's burgeoning ger
districts are now acknowledged to play an increasing role. A dearth
of precise monitoring data prevents authorities from more decisively
pointing to the worst pollution sources.
6. There are several activities which are ongoing. A baseline
household energy survey for 1,000 households and fuel consumption
tests for 60 households are being conducted in ger areas around
Ulaanbaatar and stove-fuel emissions as well as coal vs. coal
bricket laboratory tests will be carried out between December 2007
and January 2008 An inventory study, baseline analysis and market
and technology survey for low pressure heat-only boilers will also
be conducted.
ULAANBAATA 00000704 002.4 OF 002
Minton