From Coal to Clean: Mongolian woman champions solar energy to combat air pollution
January 23, 2025
From Coal to Clean: Mongolian woman champions solar energy to combat air pollution
It feels like -40°C in Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia, during the peak of its harsh winters, where even a few steps outdoors can frost your eyelashes.
But for residents like Gantuya, a mother of three living in the city’s sprawling ger – traditional round felt tents- areas, enduring the bitter cold is just one challenge. The real ordeal lies in living with the choking air pollution that has long plagued the city.
For many in the ger areas, winter is dreaded not just for its freezing temperatures but for the coal smoke that turns homes into suffocating traps. “My eldest daughter’s dust allergies made her miserable in the dusty, coal-smoke-filled air,” Ms. Gantuya recalls.
The Price of Warmth
Over 1.6 million people live in Ulaanbaatar—more than half of Mongolia’s population. Nearly half of the city’s residents rely on coal-based heating to survive the harsh winters.
The resulting air pollution reaches up to 27 times the World Health Organization’s recommended safe levels at its peak, posing severe health risks and significant economic costs. More than 7,000 deaths annually are attributed to indoor and outdoor air pollution, with the economic toll amounting to 10% of Mongolia’s GDP.
“The toxic air we breathe is not just pollution—it’s poverty. Families burn coal because they have no alternative,” says Ms. Zoljargal Purevdash, director of the Cannes-nominated film If Only I Could Hibernate.
Indeed, Mongolia’s poverty rate stands at 27.1 percent as of 2022 where in nearly one in three living below the poverty line. Many residents of the ger districts live there because they cannot afford apartments, and the city lacks the infrastructure to provide central heating for all.
For Gantuya, this grim reality was a heavy burden. Her young son often stayed home to tend to household chores like burning coal and fetching water, leaving him little time to study or rest. “When your home is dusty and dirty, and you’re constantly worried about your children, it’s hard to stay motivated to improve anything,” she shares.
From Coal to Clean

Gantuya, Project Beneficiary.
In 2024, Gantuya’s life took a remarkable turn when her family was selected as one of 69 households to participate in a pilot project by UNDP, in partnership with Ulaanbaatar City, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Government of France, URECA LLC, and Ger Hub. The project provided solar-powered heating systems as a clean alternative to coal.
“Much has been changed,” Gantuya says with a smile. “Our home is warm and clean, and there’s no black smoke anymore. My son has more time to study, and my daughter’s allergies have improved—she even says her skin feels better!”
The benefits extend beyond health. The solar system eliminated the need to purchase and transport coal, saving both time and money. “During summertime, we were able to get all of our electricity needs from the solar panels” says Gantuya.
Gantuya also attends periodic training sessions on financial literacy, gender equality, behaviour change and community leadership offered by the project, which she describes as “empowering.”

Gantuya attending the "Clean Energy and Gender" family day event organized through the project
These trainings are vital for raising community awareness, driving behavior change, and improving leadership by equipping participants with the knowledge and confidence to address challenges collectively, while also promoting gender equality by empowering women to take on active roles in decision-making and community development.
Way forward

In 2024, the pilot project introduced clean energy heating systems for 69 households in Ulaanbaatar and Erdenet ger areas, cutting coal dependency and improving air quality.
The pilot project has shown promising results, reducing household coal consumption and improving quality of life. Plans are now underway to expand the programme, with additional households in Chingeltei District, Ulaanbaatar set to transition to solar solutions in 2025.
Also, the project is exploring how project beneficiaries like Gantuya can become energy suppliers during the summer months by selling their excess solar power, contributing to both community energy needs and their own financial stability through feed-in tariff mechanism.
The momentum to expand and scale the project is building including the recent high-level visit of Mongolia’s leaders including Mongolia’s Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai, Finance Minister Javkhlan Bold and Mayor of Ulaanbaatar City to the project site.
Gantuya’s story is an example of how clean energy can transform lives and empower individuals to become champion in their communities toward a sustainable and green future. As Mongolia begins its journey toward a just energy transition, UNDP remains at the forefront, working with partners to turn small steps into meaningful progress.
“Let us all work together for a Ulaanbaatar with no air pollution and smoke,” Gantuya urges.
Her determination is as bright as the solar panels now powering her home—a ray of hope in the coldest capital of the world.
“Let us all work together for a Ulaanbaatar with no air pollution and smoke,” Gantuya urges.
Her determination is as bright as the solar panels now powering her home—a ray of hope in the coldest capital of the world.
***
About the project
This project is part of UNDP’s broader support for Mongolia’s just energy transition, a shift away from a coal-based economy to a green one, ensuring no one is left behind. The project promotes renewable energy-based heating solutions integrated with market-based incentives while creating opportunities for women to assume community leadership roles. It also seeks to unlock investments for solar energy installation and the creation of an enabling environment for renewable energy investments to ensure the financial viability of the model. The Project is supporting the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to establish a regulatory framework for carbon trading to pave the way for a carbon market in Mongolia. The project is implemented by UNDP, in partnership with Ulaanbaatar City, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Government of France, URECA LLC, and Ger Hub.
