Hanoi(VNA) - A meeting was held in Hanoi on May 27 to discuss measures to control air pollution and improve air qualityin Vietnam’s major cities.
Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and EnvironmentVo Tuan Nhan stressed that management agencies need to clarify the causes of airpollution.
According to the Vietnam Environment Administration, air pollution is becomingmore and more serious, especially in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
From last September to December, the hourly air quality index (AQI) in many areasexceeded 200 and even reached 300 - the levels that are hazardous for the health.
To improve air quality and ensure community health, Nhan requestedthe strengthening of operations at monitoring stations and drastically improvingmeasurement control and the use of official data sources to provide informationto communities.
Hanoi, HCM City, and other cities and provinces at high risk need to acceleratethe issuance and implementation of plans on public transport development andencourage people to use public transport and electric and gas-engine vehicles, whilereducing the use of personal vehicles.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is responsible for completinginstitutions and legal policies on environmental protection in 2020, building and promulgating technical standards on emissions and air quality, whichmust be close to the standards of other countries around the world.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport must develop strategies, plans, and roadmapsto increase the use of environmentally-friendly vehicles, trams, and publictransport networks.
It is necessary to identify solutions to prevent and minimize dust from the constructionof urban transport works, Nhan said.
The Ministry of Industry must direct and effectively manage the use of naturalresources and protect the environment in industrial and commercial production,especially in preparing and approving planning.
Attention should be paid to controlling projects with significant emissions, whichare likely to cause high levels of environmental pollution, such as the fieldsof coal thermoelectricity, petroleum, chemicals, steel, chemical fertilizers, mining,and mineral processing.
ꦆ The Ministry of Construction should assume responsibility for issuing aCircular on environmental protection for construction activities; inspectingand evaluating construction management and repairing and dismantling constructionworks; and re-evaluating urban planning work./.
The Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) has launched a mobile application named “Envisoft” to help users regularly update information about air quality.
The Department of Transport of Ho Chi Minh City and the Institue of Transport Science and Technology under the Ministry of Transport on March 18 signed a programme to check exhaust emissions from motorbikes commuting in the city.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) held a teleconference on March 23 to discuss a project on forming a network of air quality monitoring stations in Vietnam.
The air quality in Vietnam will improve from the end of March into the following months compared to that in the first months of 2020, the Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has said.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has proposed support policies to encourage environmentally-friendly means of transport which run on electric engines and use renewable fuels.
Mariam Sherman, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, said the World Bank remains committed to working with the Vietnamese government to develop the next phase of climate resilience and transformation for the Mekong Delta.
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According to Dr. Vu Anh Tuan, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Space Centre and head of the project, this is the first study in Vietnam to simultaneously employ Sentinel-2 satellite data, advanced machine learning algorithms, and the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud computing platform to model and monitor key seawater quality parameters.
The Deposit Return System is seen as a potential instrument for effectively advancing Vietnam’s vision of a circular economy, as outlined in Article 142 of the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection.
The figures were highlighted in a Pre-Feasibility Study on a DRS tailored for single-use beverage packaging in Vietnam, conducted by Eunomia Research & Consulting.
Young people should not view AI as salvation but rather as a tool under human control. Young creators should focus on learning and accumulating practical knowledge, using AI as a tool to carry out artistic projects in the most effective and cost-efficient manner.
Saigon Hi-Tech Park’s ambitious 50% renewable energy goal far exceeds the city’s 15% target, positioning the park as a trailblazing “living lab” for sustainable energy solutions.
Vietnam's economic losses from natural disasters are estimated to account for 1 to 1.5% of GDP annually - a steep price that will continue to rise unless the country takes strong action.
Wutip, the first storm in the East Sea so far this year, has wreaked havoc across central Vietnam, claiming lives, displacing residents, and causing widespread damage to houses, crops, and infrastructure, the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention and Control reported as of 6:30 pm on June 13.
The tremor occurred at 7:39:46 am (Hanoi time), with the epicentre located at latitude 14.924°N and longitude 108.236°E, at a depth of approximately 8.1 kilometres. The natural disaster risk level was classified as 0 – the lowest on the scale.
Addressing a session on “Accelerating Financing for Resilience: Tailored Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction,” Deputy Minister Hiep emphasised Vietnam's proposal in building sustainable financing in response to natural disasters, which aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction's goals.
Vietnam has demonstrated its strong commitments by participating in global sustainable development forums, signing multiple free trade agreements, and attracting support from international partners for the implementation of the SDGs.
The fight against plastic pollution could not succeed through isolated efforts, but it must be a collective endeavour involving the entire political system, businesses, citizens, and the international community, said Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy.
Lang Son Global Geopark, with its outstanding geological values, cultural heritage, and unique natural landscapes, represents a valuable addition to UNESCO’s global geoparks system.
In 2019, Quang Ninh became one of the first localities in Vietnam to launch a province-wide campaign against plastic waste, mobilising the participation of the political system, the business sector, and the general public. Other localities—such as Hai Phong, Da Nang, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City—have also effectively implemented waste-sorting initiatives at source, along with models for plastic-free markets and urban areas.
This year’s World Oceans Day on June 8 is themed 'Wonderful Oceans: Sustaining What Sustains Us', while World Environment Day is on June 5 with the theme: 'Beat Plastic Pollution'.
According to Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment Le Huu Toan, a fire prevention and control plan has been in place since the dry season began, including round-the-clock patrols and rapid-response teams to snuff out fires before they could spread.
Renowned artists including Ha Anh Tuan, Den Vau, and Phan Manh Quynh, along with many directors and attendees, took part in planting hundreds of rare tree species such as mun (Diospyros mun) and cho chi (Parashorea chinensis) in the Thung Bong area of the Cuc Phuong National Park, contributing to forest ecosystem restoration.
Air pollution in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) 
