Investment Case for Air Pollution Reduction in Mongolia

Abstract

Air pollution accelerates climate change and damages all aspects of planetary health, including food systems and human health. Air pollution is linked to stroke, heart disease, respiratory diseases, lung cancer, adverse pregnancy outcomes and poor cognitive development. In addition, air pollution is associated with higher mortality rates, especially among the most vulnerable. Two major sources of air pollution: ambient air pollution (AAP), also referred to as outdoor air pollution, and household air pollution (HAP), also referred to as indoor air pollution, are of major concern in Mongolia. This report includes findings from quantitative cost-of-illness analyses of the health, social and economic burden of AAP and HAP on the Mongolian population through ill-health, premature mortality, and reduced workplace productivity. The analysis includes the impact of air pollution on the six following diseases: acute lower respiratory infection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ischemic heart disease, lung cancer, stroke and diabetes mellitus type 2. The report further identifies relevant interventions to reduce air pollution in the Mongolian context and models the costs as well as health, environmental and economic benefits of these interventions. Due to limited data availability, estimates of HAP burden and benefits are only provided for people living in urban areas of Mongolia (around 70 percent of the population). AAP estimates refer to the entire population.