Update on the Energy and Environment Project

Hi everybody,

Today I'm bringing you pictures and updates on the latest Energy and Environment Project (EEP) activity. The EEP joined Xac Bank on June 20th in Ulaanbaatar for the grand opening ceremony of their most recent fuel-efficient stove distribution center. The opening included singing performances, while also showcasing an array of stoves and disseminating information on the fuel savings qualities of the new stoves.



MCA will finance 76% of the cost for the stoves, leaving consumers to bear only 24% of the cost, which falls between 65,200 and 250,800 TMN, depending on the quality of the stove. MCA's Environmental and Energy Project is spearheading this initiative in hopes that it will reduce coal and ash emissions from ger districts in Ulaanbaatar, which compose around 90% of air pollution in the city. The new stoves will reduce emissions by 80% on average. The stoves provide significant gains for the consumer as well. They lower household fuel expenses by 20-30% on average, and burn for 12 hours as opposed to the average burn time of 3 hours for most Mongolian stoves.



It was a great event, and everyone seemed really excited about the new stoves. Let's hope EEP can reach their target of distributing 20,000 stoves by the fall!

HAZMAT WORKSHOP

Hi everybody,

There is a lot to update you on this week. Last thursday and Friday, MCA sponsored the Second Annual Conference on Hazardous Materials and Waste Management in Mongolia, "Advancing Management of Hazardous Materials and Waste from Cradle to Grave." Asbestos containing materials, lead-based paints, Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB), and mercury-containing light fixtures are still commonly used in construction in Mongolia, and the government does not have the capacity to regulate preexisting laws against their use in many cases. Proper disposal of medical waste poses another challenge in Mongolia, as does reduction of waste disseminated by households, including the ash that is spread into the air by gers being heated in the winter. In fact, according to one presentation by G. Chinzorig from GASI (General Agency for Specialized Inspection) at the conference, ash produced by heating gers provides 50% of hazardous waste in Ulaanbaatar. Furthermore, past studies have shown that only 30% of fees were collected for waste management in ger districts, thus posing a logistical problem for government in terms of having the funds to properly regulate these emissions.

This and other topics were addressed at the conference, which highlighted both the central problems facing hazardous materials and waste management in Mongolia, and the most realistic and effective ways to develop sustainable solutions. The discussions, which followed presentations by MCA consultants, government officials, and non MCA is also preparing guidelines and terms of reference for hazardous materials and waste management.



The Conference was a success, attended by around 60 representatives from government agencies and ministries, non-governmental organizations, international agencies, private entities, the media, and MCC-MCA officials.





There will be more to come in the next couple of days. The Health PIU set off on a two week trip to kick off their Anti-Tobacco and Alcohol Campaign on June 13 and will conclude the trip on June 25.

New Summer, New Blog Entry!

Hi Everybody,

Well, a new summer is here in Mongolia, and with that comes the requisite influx of interns at the Millennium Challenge Account Office in Ulaanbaatar. I am one of those interns, working for the Communications Office. During my time here, I plan to restart the MCA Mongolia blog, once again bringing you up-to-date information about what the MCA is doing, and in particular keeping you abreast of the six projects that MCA is working on. Just to remind you, the six projects are:

- Property Rights Project
- Peri-Urban Rangeland Project
- Vocational and Education Project
- Health Project
- Energy and Environment Project
- Road Project

You can read more about each of these projects and about the MCA Mongolia in general here.

Like my predecessor, in the coming months I hope to conduct field visits and report back with photos and commentary on the MCA's accomplishments and works in progress. However, for now, all I have to say is welcome back to the (newly reformatted) blog! I promise more useful and informative posts are in the works.

Back to business

After almost a week off for Naadam, everyone was back in the office today ready to get back to work. As our MCC Resident Country Director Robert Reid reminded us in the staff meeting this morning, there are 3 years and 2 months left to complete the Compact. Just a few updates on recent project activities: The Peri-Urban Project is almost finished with its field verification process, only two soums left. After the process is completed and the project receives a 'no objection' from MCC, the PIU will be able to begin project implementation. The Vocational Education and Training Project has finalized a list of vocational facilities that will be renovated. The Health Project signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Minister of Health and the Minister of Education and Science and will be developing a new curriculum for health education in the country. The Health PIU has also finalized a list of hospitals that will be receiving new mammography machines. The Energy and Environment Project signed an MOU with the UN Development Programme last week to subsidize energy efficient homes in UB and will be signing MOUs with the Minister of Minerals and Energy and Khan Bank in the near future to collaborate on providing subsidies for energy efficient products.

Happy Naadam!

MCA-Mongolia will be off for three days next week for the Naadam national holiday. If you're in Mongolia, hope your Naadam is filled with lots of khuushuur and good times!

Health Project grants award ceremony

Yesterday, the Health Project awarded approximately $860,000 in small grants to 93 award winners. The grants ceremony was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and MC'ed by famous Mongolian radio host Ravdan. The Mongolian minister of health and the U.S. ambassador both presented the awards to some of the winners, along with representatives from MCA and MCC. Two award winners addressed the audience -- a representative from a hospital who praised the transparency of the grants process and the timeliness of the project in addressing serious health issues in Mongolia related to Non-Communicable Diseases and Injuries and a representative from the Mongolia Education Alliance, an NGO that will use its grant to implement an interactive seat belt awareness campaign that will involve the participation of school children. In total, the Health Project will be awarding $3 million in small grants.

MCA briefs U.S. ambassador on quarterly progress

Ulaanbaatar (www.mca.mn) – United States Ambassador to Mongolia Jonathan Addleton visited MCA headquarters this morning to receive his quarterly briefing on the activities of MCA’s Project Implementation Units (PIUs) from March 2010 to this month. MCC Director Resident Country Director Robert Reid, MCA CEO S.Bayarbaatar, PIU directors, and other key members of MCC/MCA leadership and staff attended the meeting. Ambassador Addleton opened the meeting by remarking on the importance of the quarterly briefings on keeping him informed about the progress of MCA projects and stressing the importance of taking full advantage of the summer months to implement project activities. The project directors then presented brief summaries of their projects’ major activities since March.

The Peri-Urban Project presented its progress on herder group selection for the leasing of peri-urban pasture lands and selection and assessment of hundreds of land plots to be leased to these herder groups. The project also mentioned its successful efforts in implementing public awareness campaigns including a partnership with Education TV to inform the public about the project’s efforts. The Property Rights Project presented its key activities in improving land registration and registering ger area residences in Ulaanbaatar and its wider aim of reforming Mongolia’s property registration process. The Vocational Education and Training Project’s main activities included the completion of a nationwide labor market study, the identification of 15 vocational schools that will receive equipment upgrades, and the establishment of three centers of excellence for the construction, mining, and health sectors. The Health Project summarized its key activities which included the planning and hosting of an international conference on Non-Communicable Diseases and Injuries that took place in April. The Road Project discussed its progress on selecting contractors and beginning the pre-construction activities on the 176.4 km road from Choir to Sanshand and road and bridge construction in Ulaanbaatar. The Energy and Environment Project discussed its work with engineers from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in testing energy-efficient stoves and insulation for gers and small houses for eventual distribution to residents. The Communication Team mentioned its efforts to publicize MCA activities through activities including a radio drama broadcast on national public radio, articles published in Mongolian newspapers, and the release of MCA’s 2009 annual report.

Ambassador Addleton also discussed with the project directors some of the challenges that have risen this quarter including the Peri-Urban Project’s additional fieldwork, currently underway, to ensure their project’s compliance with a World Bank resettlement policy. The ambassador expressed his optimism about the work of MCA in future project implementation and his willingness to help the organization achieve its goals in various capacities.


MCC Resident Country Director Robert Reid and Ambassador Addleton.


Ambassador Addleton speaking with MCA CEO S.Bayarbaatar.