Mongolia’s move toward clean energy is about more than changing power plants or reducing emissions. It affects how people heat their homes, the air they breathe in winter, the jobs available in different regions, and the future of communities that have long depended on coal. To help navigate this change, the joint programme on the Acceleration of Just Energy Transition in Mongolia has produced a set of studies that explain what a fair and people-centred energy transition could look like, and how it can be achieved.
The Just Energy Transition Framework lays out a long-term vision for how Mongolia can transition to cleaner energy while ensuring no one is left behind. It highlights the importance of supporting households during energy reforms, helping workers gain new skills as the economy changes, and creating new opportunities in regions that currently depend on coal. Rather than treating climate action as a trade-off, the Framework shows how cleaner energy can go hand in hand with better health, more resilient local economies, and greater social fairness.
The Just Energy Transition Framework Assessment Report explains the research behind this vision. It examines how Mongolia’s energy system works today, the risks of continued reliance on coal, and lessons from other countries undergoing similar transitions. Importantly, it also reflects the voices of workers, communities, and institutions consulted across the country, helping ensure that future energy policies are grounded in real-life experiences and concerns.
The Sustainable Heating Policy Briefing focuses on a challenge many people feel directly in their daily lives: heating. With a particular focus on Ulaanbaatar’s ger areas, it explores practical ways to reduce air pollution and improve living conditions through cleaner, more efficient heating solutions. The briefing shows how better insulation, modern electric heating, and targeted financial support can lower long-term household costs, improve health outcomes, and deliver quick benefits while supporting Mongolia’s broader energy transition.
Together, these three pieces show that Mongolia’s energy transition need not be a choice between climate action and social well-being. When planned carefully, the shift to clean energy can mean warmer homes, cleaner air, new skills and jobs, and more resilient communities. By combining long-term vision with solid evidence and practical solutions, this work helps turn the idea of a just energy transition into something people can see, feel, and benefit from in their everyday lives.
Publication links:
https://www.undp.org/mongolia/publications/just-energy-transition-framework
https://www.undp.org/mongolia/publications/just-energy-transition-framework-assessment-report
https://www.undp.org/mongolia/publications/sustainable-heating-policy-briefing
Note:
All joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds, and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
