Strategies for the sustainable redevelopment of residential buildings in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

The current condition of central Ulaanbaatar’s residential buildings and their associated infrastructure is in a critical state. It is important to study the current urban renewal process in Ulaanbaatar city, with a focus on solving recognized practical problems that arose from the necessity to improve a city centre neighbourhood. This study investigated how the redevelopment process of residential buildings in Ulaanbaatar city, Mongolia can be implemented in a sustainable way. It explored potential issues associated with residential redevelopment; analysis and integration of the research findings provides a framework for sustainable residential redevelopment. A combined quantitative and qualitative research approach was used in this study. The researcher conducted a questionnaire survey to residents living in Ulaanbaatar and interviewed stakeholders and government authorities, to obtain a better understanding of potential problems which may influence redevelopment. The survey of residents in dilapidated buildings established the nature of resident’s opinions of urban renewal and identified the condition of their buildings. It showed that they had strong concerns about whether redevelopment involving new multi-storey redevelopments built on site of their current residences is appropriate for the area and how it might influence their interest. The interviews with building professionals and local community representatives helped to ascertain issues affecting the refurbishment or redevelopment of dilapidated residential buildings. Discussions with personnel from relevant government agencies produced a deeper understanding of current urban renewal policy in Ulaanbaatar city, existing and prospective issues for urban renewal, and generated suggestions to deal with them. The survey findings were aligned with the triple bottom line principles of sustainability and further categorized into different phases of a project life cycle, based on which a framework was developed to support the sustainable residential redevelopment. The framework integrated critical factors and issues likely to affect the residential redevelopment in the different phases of a project. At the end of the study the framework was validated through a questionnaire survey among urban development experts to determine whether a framework reasonably fulfils its intended use. It is expected that the framework will help to deal with existing issues and avoid potential problems associated with residential redevelopment in Ulaanbaatar city. Also, the study will contribute to the general field of urban renewal studies

ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF BIFIDOBACTERIA ISOLATED FROM INFANT FAECES

Antibacterial activity of bifidobacteria isolated from Mongolian infant faeces was elucidated on pathogenic intestinal bacteria for the development of a new antibacterial bifidobacteria, the permission for which was granted by the Mongolian Medical Ethics Committee Approval (MMECA). A total of forty-nine single colonies were obtained from 3 samples by using a BL medium enrichment. Among them, 29 isolates had Gram−positive, catalase−negative properties, and maul−like or Y−shaped morphology, and then, 20 Bifidobacterium breve and 9 Bifidobacterium longum strains were detected by the B. breve and B. longum specific primers. Organic acids produced by the isolated bifidobacteria in their cell-free supernatants were quantitatively analyzed by a spectrophotometric absorbance at 340 nm, suggesting that D−lactic, L−lactic, and acetic acids were produced, and the pH of the supernatants was at 3.86−4.55. The isolated bifidobacteria showed antibacterial activity toward Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium as high as that of a standard bifidobacteria, however, lower activity against Staphylococcus aureus. The antibacterial activity was probably due to the production of organic acids

Relationship between dynamics of modern glaciers of the Mt. Munkhkhairkhan (Mongolian Altai) and climate

Mt. Munkhkhairkhan is the most crucial region for understanding climate and glaciation changes in Mongolia. This study investigated the relationship between glacial area changes and the climate elements of Mt. Munkhkhairkhan in the Mongolian-Altai Mountains using a remote sensing approach, in-situ observations, the Mann–Kendall (MK) test, Innovative Trend Analysis Method (ITAM), Sen’s slope estimator test, and statistical analysis. The study results showed that for the last 30 years, the annual average air temperature of Mt. Munkhkhairkhan has been slightly increasing. Total annual precipitation (mainly snow) in the mountain area decreased from 1990 to 2000, but since 2000, a significant increase in precipitation levels has appeared. For the last 30 years, the glacial area has decreased by 32% to 11.7 km2. Multiple regression results showed a strong correlation between Temperature, Precipitation, and Glaciers (Multiple R = 0.69, R2 = 0.48). Ruther indicated that Temperature (t = −2.332, p = 0.036) and Precipitation (t = −3.212, p = 0.007) were significant predictors in the model. Air temperature and precipitation explained 48 percent of the change in the glacier area, and R = 0.69 is a strong correlation. The glaciers and snow area in the study area have changed due to climate warming and precipitation changes and are located in arid and semi-arid regions of Central Asia. This study of Mt. Munkhairkhan shows that climate change significantly impacts glaciers and snow

Strategies for the sustainable redevelopment of residential buildings in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: A proposal

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Evolving approaches to educating children from nomadic communities

Evolving policies have increasingly aimed to include nomadic groups in EFA, but an overemphasis on mobility has distracted policy makers from going beyond access logistics to consider learning needs within nomads’ contemporary livelihoods and cultural values. Notable global trends are the growth and institutionalization of forms of Alternative Basic Education (provided by state and nonstate actors for “disadvantaged” learners) and advocacy of Open and Distance Learning. Case studies of mobile pastoralists in Kenya, India, and Afghanistan, and of sea nomads in Indonesia, illustrate policy and practices on the ground. They highlight a need to address equality, equivalence, and learner progression more closely, rather than adopting strategies for education inclusion that reinforce nomadic groups’ sociopolitical marginalization. This requires an extended post-2015 engagement with the larger political question of education’s role in undermining, or sustaining and validating, mobile livelihoods

Boost glacier monitoring

Glacier-mass changes are a reliable indicator of climate change. On behalf of the worldwide network of glacier observers, we urge parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to boost international cooperation in monitoring these changes, and to include the results in the Paris agreement’s global stocktake. Since 1960, glaciers have lost more than 9,000 gigatonnes of ice worldwide — the equivalent of a 20-metre-thick layer with the area of Spain. This melting alone — as distinct from that of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets — has raised global sea level by almost 3 centimetres, contributing 25–30% of the total rise (M. Zemp et al. Nature 568, 382–386; 2019). The present rate of melting is unprecedented. Several mountain ranges are likely to lose most of their glaciers this century. And we face the loss of almost all glaciers by 2300 (B. Marzeion et al. Cryosph. 6, 1295–1322; 2012). Glacier shrinkage will severely affect freshwater availability and increase the risk of local geohazards. Global sea-level rise will result in the displacement of millions of people in coastal regions and in the loss of life, livelihoods and cultural- heritage sites. The systematic monitoring of glaciers has been internationally coordinated for 125 years. Continuing to do so will document progress in limiting climate change for current and future generations