Page | 15Environmental Concerns
Mongolia’s low population density and traditional
subsistence economy has allowed the country to
generally avoid severe environmental problems.^69
Nevertheless, the nation does face some important
challenges. Among these are overgrazing and its
attendant problem, desertification. With
Mongolia’s transition to a market-based economy
in the early 1990s, the number of livestock
increased and the proportional balance of
livestock species changed.^70 In particular, the
population of goats, valued for their cashmere wool but notoriously voracious grazers,
spiked dramatically. As a result, roughly 70% of all the nation’s pastures are now
degraded.^71 In marginal pasturelands in arid and semi-arid regions, overgrazing is leading
to an increase in the amount of land lost to desertification.72,^73
In fast-growing Ulaanbaatar, a variety of sources produce dangerous amounts of air
pollution during the winter months. These include the black fumes from coal-burning
stoves used to heat gers (felt-lined tents used as traditional Mongolian housing), exhaust
from the city’s increasing number of cars and trucks, and airborne dust.
74, (^75) Ulaanbaatar’s
average particulate matter concentrations run 14 times higher than suggested maximum
levels set by the World Health Organization.^76
(^69) Michael Koln, “Environment,” in Mongolia, 5th ed. (Footscray, Victoria, Australia: Lonely Planet
Publications, 2008), 53.
(^70) Jane Blunden, “The People: Future Concerns,” in Mongolia, 2nd ed. (Chalfont, St. Peter, UK: Bradt
Travel Guides Ltd.), 78–79.
(^71) Michael Koln, “Environment,” in Mongolia, 5th ed. (Footscray, Victoria, Australia: Lonely Planet
Publications, 2008), 53.
(^72) Zambyn Batjargal, “Desertification in Mongolia,” RALA Report, no. 200, 1997, 107–111,
http://www.rala.is/rade/ralareport/Batjargal.pdf
(^73) Kit Gillet, “High Cost of Cashmere on Mongolia Plains,” CNN.com, 12 September 2010,
http://articles.cnn.com/2010-09-12/world/mongolia.cashmere.herders_1_goat-population-mongolia-global-
cashmere?_s=PM:WORLD
(^74) Arshad Sayed, “Ulaanbaatar’s Air Pollution Crisis: Summertime Complacency Won’t Solve the
Wintertime Problem,” WorldBank.org, 23 April 2010,
http://blogs.worldbank.org/eastasiapacific/ulaanbaatar-s-air-pollution-crisis-summertime-complacency-
won-t- solve-the-wintertime-problem
(^75) UrbanEmission.info, “Urban Air Pollution Analysis for Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia,” May 2010,
http://www.urbanemissions.info/model-tools/sim-air/ulaanbataar-mongolia.html
(^76) Arshad Sayed, “Ulaanbaatar’s Air Pollution Crisis: Summertime Complacency Won’t Solve the
Wintertime Problem,” WorldBank.org, 23 April 2010,
http://blogs.worldbank.org/eastasiapacific/ulaanbaatar-s-air-pollution-crisis-summertime-complacency-
won-t- solve-the-wintertime-p roblem