Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision, Meder Mashiev, has outlined plans to tackle air pollution in Bishkek.
Speaking at a meeting with representatives of an interdepartmental commission tasked with addressing environmental issues, Mashiev announced that the government is prepared to issue interest-free loans for environmental projects, with a particular focus on improving air quality in the capital. Bishkek ranks among the worst cities globally for air pollution, placing fifth from the bottom in terms of air quality. According to some reports, funding for these projects will come from the World Bank. Similar loan programs are expected to be introduced in the cities of Jalal-Abad and Osh.
As part of efforts to combat pollution, the Ministry of Natural Resources is considering building facilities to process coal from the Kara-Keche open-pit mine in Naryn Oblast. This coal is used to heat most of Bishkek, including its thermal power plant. Many environmentalists argue that the primary cause of the city’s poor air quality is the widespread use of coal for heating by private households.
“In addition, the use of nanotechnology to improve air quality is being explored, including the installation of catalytic converters on vehicles,” the ministry stated.
Separately, Mashiev met with members of Kyrgyzstan’s scientific community to discuss the role of research in addressing air pollution. He emphasized that science should play a key role in developing solutions and pledged to allocate funding for research on the issue.
Experts at the meeting urged the ministry to conduct a comprehensive study of the problem, including an analysis of the impact of vehicle emissions compared to coal burning.