Green transportation benefits everyone.

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are struggling with pollution, including the enormous amount of emissions released daily from gasoline-powered vehicles.

Green transportation is a growing trend in sustainable development of green infrastructure and the green economy . In the photo: the D4 electric bus route is gradually gaining popularity among residents as a preferred mode of transportation - Photo: TRÍ ĐỨC

Local leaders recognize the urgent need to implement policies and solutions for green transportation. Several major cities, such as Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, have outlined roadmaps for transitioning to green vehicles, prioritizing the conversion of buses to green energy before moving on to private cars.

Where are the clean streets now!

In late October and early November, Ho Chi Minh City often experiences thick fog that significantly impairs visibility. This fog consists of both humidity and dust. This phenomenon is particularly noticeable on days with rain followed by little sunshine.

According to experts, the haze is composed of many factors, including emissions from traffic, industry, and daily life. In reality, with millions of vehicles circulating on the roads every day, it's not uncommon to see some vehicles releasing black smoke into the environment when accelerating.

Monitoring reports from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment show that in most months, the TSP (tissue particulate matter), PM10, and PM2.5 levels exceeded permissible standards. The department also concluded that the causes of air pollution stemmed from traffic, industrial activities, and residential activities. Of these, traffic was the leading factor.

The situation in Hanoi is no better. Statistics show that for many days in October 2024, air quality was poor and bad. Many roads, residential areas, and urban areas in the districts of Nam Tu Liem, Bac Tu Liem, Ha Dong, Cau Giay, and Hoai Duc... were shrouded in smog and dust, and the Hanoi sky was hazy even on sunny days.

Notably, pollution is more severe in areas near construction sites and some roads under construction. According to the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment, monitoring results show that the number of days with poor and bad air quality index (VN_AQI) accounted for more than 30% of the total number of monitoring days in the year (approximately 110 days).

The average annual PM2.5 concentration in Hanoi is nearly twice the national technical standard. According to the department, the main reason for this situation is that transportation is the largest source of PM2.5 emissions (accounting for 50-70%), followed by industrial production (14-23%), with the remainder coming from agricultural production and daily life.

Faced with the current air pollution situation in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, both localities are implementing various solutions to improve air quality. In particular, Hanoi is piloting a program to measure exhaust emissions from older motorcycles and scooters currently in circulation in the city as a basis for research and proposing solutions to improve air quality...

Many bus routes in Ho Chi Minh City have switched to using clean CNG energy - Photo: CHAU TUAN

Public transport is gradually shifting to using green energy.

According to Mr. Le Thanh Nam, Director of the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment, from 2025, Hanoi will pilot restrictions on polluting vehicles in some crowded areas that are air pollution hotspots, while also developing dedicated lanes for electric buses and low-emission vehicles.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport also stated that it is developing a plan to control traffic emissions in the city, with the goal of converting all public buses to electric by 2030. Based on recent traffic reports and documents, buses have a relatively high emission level.

A single bus can emit as much exhaust fumes as approximately 100 motorbikes. Therefore, a green transportation development project focusing on converting old fossil fuel-powered buses to green buses using electricity or CNG to control emissions and reduce environmental pollution is necessary.

To promote the transition to green energy vehicles and electric vehicles in public passenger transport in Ho Chi Minh City, the Department of Transport has recently chaired and coordinated with relevant units to organize workshops and listen to opinions from leading experts.

At a workshop held at the end of July, Mr. Tran Quang Lam, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport, stated that with Resolution 98, Ho Chi Minh City can issue policies and mechanisms to convert fossil fuel vehicles to green energy vehicles in conjunction with the development of public transport.

The units have studied the experiences of other countries and identified issues related to infrastructure, feasibility, policies, etc., and determined that a specific mechanism is needed to develop green transportation. The transition to green transportation has two phases, with the first phase focusing on completing the mechanism for converting public transport to electric or CNG vehicles.

In phase 2, all vehicles, from public to private, including motorcycles and cars, will be converted to electric vehicles. Ho Chi Minh City will calculate the conversion by specific regions and areas with a clear process. Regarding this issue, experts believe that Ho Chi Minh City needs preferential policies and careful planning regarding infrastructure and charging station networks.

"Who will invest, where will the charging stations be located given the current traffic situation, and should they be placed at existing public transport hubs?" These are questions posed by experts to the relevant authorities.

Mr. Minh Hoang charges his electric car at Vincom Cong Hoa shopping mall, Tan Binh district, Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: QUANG DINH

Accelerate the "greening" of buses.

Discussing the roadmap for "greening" the bus system, Mr. Bui Hoa An, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport, said that Ho Chi Minh City is currently piloting an electric bus route with 13 buses, each with a capacity of 65-70 seats, operated by VinBus Eco-Transport Service Co., Ltd. (route D4).

In the first nine months of this year, the D4 route carried 681,037 passengers on 26,670 trips. Regarding CNG buses, Mr. An said that Ho Chi Minh City currently has 516 buses operating on 18 subsidized bus routes with 3 fuel stations at Pho Quang bus depot, Ho Chi Minh City National University bus station, and An Suong bus station.

Regarding the traffic emission control project, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport has completed the first phase of the project on converting public passenger transport buses to electric/green energy vehicles and is currently seeking feedback from relevant units before finalizing the conversion plan and incentive policies.

According to Mr. An, the project aims for all public passenger transport vehicles (buses) in the area to use electricity and green energy by 2030.

Meanwhile, Mr. Pham Dinh Tien, head of the operational planning department of the Traffic Management and Operation Center, Hanoi Department of Transport, said that the number of green and clean buses accounts for 17% of the total number of buses in the area, with 10 routes using electric buses and 10 routes using CNG (natural gas), emitting very low levels of CO2.

According to the project on developing the use of green energy for public transport vehicles, approved by the Hanoi People's Council at its mid-year 2024 session, from 2026 to 2031, the percentage of buses converted to green and clean energy will reach 94% instead of the current 17%. By 2035, 100% of buses in Hanoi will be converted to electric buses or buses using clean energy.

"Therefore, it is expected that in more than 10 years, the public transport network will use entirely clean energy, with very low CO2 emissions into the environment," Mr. Tien said, adding that in 2025, newly invested taxis will be required to use electric power. By 2035, when 100% of buses run on electricity, Hanoi expects to reduce CO2 emissions by 170,000 tons.

"Reducing CO2 and methane emissions from vehicles will lead to a greener and cleaner city, ensuring the health of its citizens. Furthermore, the quality of public services will improve with the use of electric vehicles; people will choose to use buses more often, reducing the use of private vehicles, contributing to reduced environmental pollution and improving traffic congestion in the capital," Mr. Tien expressed.

Graphics: TUAN ANH

Reviewing potential locations for charging stations.

The Department of Transport has been assigned by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to lead the coordination with other departments and localities in reviewing locations for the construction of power supply systems and charging station infrastructure for electric vehicles. The selected locations must be consistent with the planning, have parking spaces, and have suitable transportation connections.

The Department of Transport is also tasked with compiling the obstacles to report and advise the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee on how to resolve them. This task is to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2024. The Department of Industry and Trade will take the lead in issuing guidelines on the design and technical standards for charging stations and their connection to the power grid, and report the results before November 30th.

At the same time, it is necessary to ensure a sufficient supply of electricity and green energy for charging stations and refueling stations, meeting the needs promptly when these systems are installed and put into operation.

Preferential interest rates for green transportation investments.

To implement the project, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport proposes providing interest rate subsidies for businesses investing in electric and green energy buses for public passenger transport. These businesses can borrow investment capital from the Ho Chi Minh City State Financial Investment Company, with a maximum loan limit of 85% of the total investment of the project.

The maximum loan amount eligible for interest rate support is 300 billion VND per project, with a fixed interest rate.

3% of the loan capital is subsidized throughout the loan term, with a maximum interest subsidy period of 7 years. Interest subsidies are also provided to domestic businesses and economic organizations participating in the construction of energy supply stations (electricity, green energy).

Don't let people be afraid to go out.

During rush hour, traffic congestion and levels of gasoline fume pollution can increase 4-5 times compared to normal times - Photo: DANH KHANG

Dr. Hoang Duong Tung - Chairman of the Vietnam Clean Air Network, former Deputy Director General of the General Department of Environment - said that Hanoi usually enters its air pollution season from October to March of the following year. The reasons are due to the high density of construction in the city, emissions from waste and straw burning areas, industrial zones... Especially, smoke and dust from vehicles cause air pollution.

According to Mr. Tung, air pollution has a significant impact on health, and people need to limit outdoor activities on days when air quality is at harmful levels. Healthy individuals who are exposed to polluted air for extended periods often experience symptoms such as eye, skin, nose, and throat irritation; coughing, phlegm, and chest discomfort. Using face masks that meet the Ministry of Health's standards is essential, as not all types of masks effectively block PM 2.5 fine dust.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/giao-thong-xanh-ai-cung-huong-loi-20241031224137848.htm