Mass cleanup in Hanoi marks World Cleanup Day 2025
This year’s event carried the theme “5% pioneers – Global impact”, highlighting research from the University of Leeds, UK, which suggests that when just five% of a community takes action for a shared goal, it can trigger a tipping point in behaviour and social awareness.
World Cleanup Day 2025, the world’s largest civic action campaign tackling global waste, kicked off in Hanoi on September 20. (Photo Courtesy of the organisers)
Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - More than 300 volunteers joined hands on September 20 to clean up Pham Hung Street in Hanoi as part of World Cleanup Day 2025, the world’s largest civic action campaign tackling global waste.
This year’s event carried the theme “5% pioneers – Global impact”, highlighting research from the University of Leeds, UK, which suggests that when just five% of a community takes action for a shared goal, it can trigger a tipping point in behaviour and social awareness.
Nguyen Thi Cam Tu, national coordinator of Let’s Do It Vietnam, said people don’t need to be a celebrity or a leader to create change – every individual who takes action is already part of the 5% pioneers.
“Cleanup activities not only improve the environment but also shift behaviour from littering to waste sorting, reducing and reusing.”
The programme welcomed Hannes Hanso, Ambassador of Estonia to China, concurrently accredited to Vietnam, Mongolia and Thailand.
Estonia is the birthplace of the Let’s Do It! World movement.
In his keynote address, he praised Vietnam’s active role: “When millions of people perform small acts together, we can achieve great change for future generations. I hope this movement will continue to thrive in Vietnam and worldwide.”
The event, supported by local authorities and partners such as Hirdaramani Vietnam, Easia Travel and FUWA BIOTECH, collected nearly 850kg of waste, mainly single-use plastics, medical masks and cigarette butts.
Volunteers were trained in waste sorting and provided with gloves, tongs and collection bags to ensure safety and efficiency.
Nationwide, the campaign mobilised over 1,000 volunteers in cities including Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Quy Nhon, Quang Ngai and Can Tho, with parallel cleanups organised in Gia Lai, Kon Tum and other provinces. In total, more than three tonnes of waste were collected.
Launched in Estonia in 2008, World Cleanup Day has become a global movement spanning more than 190 countries.
෴ In December 2023, the United Nations officially recognised the day in its calendar of International Days and Weeks, underscoring its role in tackling global environmental challenges through community mobilisation./.
On the morning of September 14, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hanoi held a ceremony to mobilize citizens for an environmental cleanup to address the aftermath of Typhoon No. 3.
Ha Long city in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh will kick off a campaign on March 26 to thoroughly clean up and collect waste in Ha Long Bay, deputy head of the bay management board Pham Dinh Huynh has announced.
However, human–elephant conflict remains a pressing challenge that requires stronger and more coordinated action. The Elephant Conservation Week is expected to raise awareness, deepen understanding of elephants' behaviour, and foster greater compassion towards the species, contributing to long-term conservation.
Seraphin is the first modern waste-to-energy plant in Vietnam fully invested, designed, built, and supervised by a domestic private enterprise, demonstrating the ability of Vietnamese companies to master advanced technologies.
The award is a key initiative under the ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN), aiming to recognise and reward schools with outstanding achievements in environmental education, environmental protection, and sustainable development. This year’s award centres around the theme “Plastic-Free Schools”, aligning with the United Nations’ call to “end plastic pollution.”
With the state budget covering only a fraction of costs, Vietnam expects to mobilise an additional 2.7–6 billion USD annually from non-budget sources, a significant challenge that underscores the need for global partnerships in finance, technology, and capacity-building.
Asian elephants are not only vital to biodiversity but also deeply rooted in the culture and beliefs of many nations, Nam said, adding that the elephant populations are experiencing severe declines, with Vietnam having fewer than 200 wild elephants left, scattered across provinces, with Dong Nai as a critical stronghold.
The agreement provides a bilateral legal framework enabling Vietnamese organisations and businesses to register greenhouse gas emission reduction projects and generate carbon credits that are recognised and transferable to Singapore.
By August 2025, Vietnam has eliminated around 240 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent through the management and phase-out of substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol.
The Deposit and Return System” (DRS) requires consumers to pay a small deposit when purchasing bottled or canned beverages, which they will reclaim when returning empty containers to designated collection points.
The yellow-cheeked gibbon, scientifically named Nomascus gabriellae, belongs to group IB in the list of endangered, precious and rare species according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment’s Circular No 27/2025/TT-BNNMT.
The elongated tortoise is one of the most beautiful and rare terrestrial tortoise species, listed in both the Vietnam Red Data Book and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The Con Dao National Park in Ho Chi Minh City has received five Nicobar pigeons (Caloenas nicobarica), a rare and endangered bird species, from the Con Dao Special Zone Economic Division after they were found injured and disoriented by local residents.
For many residents, the greatest expectation from LEZs is cleaner air. Vehicle exhaust has long been a pressing environmental issue for the city. Under current plans, by 2030 HCM City will have around 11.4 million motorcycles and 1.3 million cars.
The addition of nine new species not only expands the biodiversity database but also highlights the effectiveness of applying science and technology in biodiversity monitoring. This provides an important basis for developing strategies to conserve, restore, and sustainably manage the special-use forest ecosystem.
Hoa Lu was among 10 outstanding cities to receive the ESC Awards, which recognises its notable initiatives in sustainable tourism, environmental education, and awareness-raising in schools. The award highlights cities that demonstrate exceptional commitment to maintaining green, clean, and liveable environments.
At AMME-18, delegates approved six new ASEAN Heritage Parks, bringing the total number under the bloc’s protection to 69. Notably, Vietnam had three national parks recognised at the event, including Pu Mat National Park in the central province of Nghe An, Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve in the southern province of Dong Nai, and Xuan Thuy National Park in the northern province of Ninh Binh.
This event is expected to be an important foundation for member countries to build a unified and decisive voice at the upcoming 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Over the past two years, numerous models have been launched, utilising technology and eco-friendly methods to reduce emissions while enhancing productivity and farmers’ incomes.
The municipal People’s Committee on August 29 opened the floor to public feedback on the draft, which enforces stricter emissions standards in line with Article 28 of the Capital Law.
