Mobilizing all resources to improve air quality

At the National Scientific Conference on Controlling and Improving Air Quality in Vietnam held on May 24, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Le Cong Thanh said that the air pollution situation in major cities is getting worse. Air quality indexes (AQI) are often at moderate to poor levels. In particular, the concentration of PM2.5 fine dust in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City often exceeds national technical standards and is much higher than the recommendations of the World Health Organization.

Air pollution not only lasts seasonally, but also spreads spatially, directly affecting people's health, socio-economic development and daily life. The causes of air pollution come from many different sources, including emissions from vehicles using fossil fuels; poorly controlled construction and urban infrastructure renovation activities; emissions from industrial production facilities; open burning of straw, waste and biomass, etc.

In Hanoi , air pollution often increases sharply from September to April of the following year due to unfavorable weather factors, temperature inversion, calm winds, and little rain. Meanwhile, in Ho Chi Minh City, many assessments and studies suggest that high traffic density and industrial activities are the main causes.

In addition, there is a factor affecting air quality, although there is no official research, but management agencies and scientists are also discussing and evaluating emissions from some natural and transboundary emission sources: Dust from agricultural activities, forest fires, and smoke from surrounding countries also spread and contribute to increasing pollution.

Faced with the increasing trend of air pollution, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, with the Department of Environment as the focal point, has been coordinating with ministries, branches, localities and enterprises to implement many key tasks such as developing tasks and projects to inventory emissions in key economic regions in the North and South to serve the work of analyzing and evaluating data, building models and scenarios for forecasting air pollution, etc.

Currently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is testing a 48-hour air quality forecasting model at the Northern Environmental Monitoring Center. The Ministry is finalizing the National Action Plan to overcome pollution and manage air quality, with specific goals for the period 2025 - 2030, with each group of solutions such as energy, waste sources, transportation, and construction.

In parallel, the Ministry has proactively carried out international cooperation activities and mobilized resources; coordinated with international organizations, corporations and general companies to implement pilot projects, develop a network of rapid air quality measurement stations, promote technology transfer, green transportation and mobilize financial and technical resources to improve air quality. It is expected that in the near future, the Ministry will also have 2 working delegations, including a high-level delegation of the Minister to exchange experiences and learn from Beijing in improving, controlling and managing air quality.

At the workshop, Ms. Ramla Khalidi, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam, emphasized that air is life and air pollution should be a top priority. UNDP and WHO are supporting Vietnam to improve its management capacity and data system. Ms. Ramla Khalidi affirmed that effectively responding to air pollution not only protects health but is also closely linked to the goals of climate change, green transition and sustainable development.

Ms. Khalidi called on Vietnam to build a solid data foundation, upgrade its monitoring system, and develop policies based on scientific evidence. An effective strategy requires cross-sectoral coordination, unified leadership, and active participation of the whole society, while ensuring that vulnerable groups are not left behind.

Also at the workshop, Dr. Angela Pratt, World Health Organization Representative in Vietnam, said that poor air quality is a significant risk to people's health. If we do not act soon, the health impacts of air pollution could threaten the achievements we have made in recent decades.

"Air pollution is one of the most discussed topics and contents today and there are many studies on this content. Air quality in Hanoi has decreased by 7%; Ho Chi Minh City has decreased by 3% in recent years. We can see that it is a small number but in fact it is very large. I acknowledge and appreciate the commitments of the Vietnamese Government to improve air quality. It is necessary to strengthen scientific research facilities, improve research and forecasting work... Air is life", shared the UNDP Representative in Vietnam.

In fact, improving air quality is not the responsibility of any single ministry but the shared task of all ministries, sectors, localities, organizations and communities. "In addition to the goal of double-digit economic growth in the coming period, we will also have to focus on environmental protection. Right now, we need to join hands to preserve the blue sky, protect people's health and build a sustainable living environment," Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh emphasized.

After today's workshop, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment will join the National Assembly's Supervisory Delegation to organize a workshop on mechanisms, policies and laws related to air quality management, thereby helping to point out shortcomings to perfect the legal framework and create favorable conditions for localities and businesses to implement air pollution control measures.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/doi-song/huy-dong-moi-nguon-luc-cai-thien-chat-luong-khong-khi-i766269/