COUGH, COUGH: DONORS ENERGIZED AS ULAANBAATAR'S AIR

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