HCM City (VNA) – Manyprogrammes and projects have been issued by Ho Chi Minh City to reducegreenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adapt to climate change in efforts todevelop the southern metropolis into a low-carbon city.

Of the total GHG emissions in 2022, morethan 60 million tonnes of CO was released in HCM City. The amounts of the PM2.5fine dust and hazardous gases like NO2, SO2, and CO were four to five times higherthan the World Health Organisation standards.

Over 30% of the total emissions camefrom industrial activities such as textile, garment, and metal production. Roadtransport emitted more than 20%, and motorcycles were the biggest source of GHGemissions, according to the Institute for Environment and Resources at the VietnamNational University, HCM City.

Nguyen Thi Thanh My, Deputy Directorof the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said in itsaction plan on climate change response for 2021 - 2023, with a vision to 2050,the city looks to cut down 10% of GHG emissions by 2030 and work towards alow-carbon economy.

To that end, the department hasinstructed establishments and businesses working in the industrial production,transport, energy, agricultural, and waste treatment sectors to calculate and reporttheir emission volumes.

The reporting will help authorities bettermonitor and manage GHG emitting activities and take response measures, she wenton.

The department has also encouragedlocal enterprises to proactively build GHG emission reduction plans and step uptechnology application to waste and wastewater collection and treatment. Manyinitiatives have been carried out and reaped initial results, My noted.

Meanwhile, HCM City is alsoimplementing a project to develop measures for limiting personal vehicles andincreasing the connectivity between them and public transport inorder to encourage public transport use. This project is expected to help reduce44,638 tonnes of CO2 each year, according to Deputy Director of the municipalTransport Department Bui Hoa An.

Transport authorities will pilotcharging stations for electric vehicles to decrease fossil fuel consumption andpromote the use of environmentally friendly vehicles, he said, adding that theywill also devise measures for replacing petrol and diesel with clean fuel forbuses.

Up to 56,771 tonnes of CO2 could bereduced annually if clean fuel is used, the Transport Department estimated.

Another GHG reduction measure is to expandurban greenery. HCM City plans to increase the area of parks by at least 150haand public green space by 10ha, which means it will need to plant 10 milliontrees.

In early 2022, the municipal People’s Committee and the World Bank establisheda joint working group that comprises eight technical groups to develop eightprojects serving local development.

Among them, the low-carbon emissiongroup was tasked with making plans and proposals on GHG reduction for 2022 -2025. Basing on its recommendations, the city’s administration will submit suggestionsfor tackling policy obstacles to ministries and central agencies, and attractfinancial and technical support from the World Bank and other partners for low-carbondevelopment efforts./.