This is not only an activity in response to President Ho Chi Minh's teachings on tree planting and reforestation, but also demonstrates the city's determination in its strategy for green urban development, climate change adaptation, and aiming for net zero emissions by 2050.
Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Minh Thanh emphasized that more than 66 years ago, President Ho Chi Minh launched the "Tree Planting Festival" movement with a strategic vision for the environment and sustainable development. To this day, the teaching, "For the benefit of ten years, plant trees; for the benefit of a hundred years, cultivate people," remains relevant and has become a beautiful cultural aspect of Vietnamese society.
According to the leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, in the context of Ho Chi Minh City facing increasing pressure from climate change, flooding, rising sea levels, and the urban heat island effect, developing green spaces is no longer a mere campaign but an urgent requirement to protect the living environment and improve the quality of life for its citizens. The city is currently a special urban area with a high population density and rapid urbanization, yet the average green space per capita remains much lower than many other major cities in the region.
Mr. Bui Minh Thanh stated that during the 2021-2025 period, Ho Chi Minh City exceeded its target in response to the Prime Minister's initiative to plant 1 billion trees, with over 16 million new trees planted. However, the city is not stopping at this achievement but continues to aim for a higher ratio of urban green space to over 1 m²/person by 2030, while simultaneously promoting solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, striving towards Net Zero by 2050.
A notable aspect of this year's launch ceremony is the selection of Binh Loi commune, the western gateway to the city, as the starting point for the 2026 green journey. This area was once a "white zone" during the war, with heavily acidic soil and difficult living conditions for its residents. Through years of reclamation and production transformation, Binh Loi has become a renowned area specializing in the cultivation of "Binh Loi yellow apricot blossoms," and is also one of the exemplary localities in building new rural areas linked to ecological development.
Spanning nearly 22 hectares, Lang Le Cultural Park is envisioned as a multi-functional ecological and cultural zone, serving as the "green lung" of the western part of the city. According to the plan, it will be developed into an ecological space focused on preserving the canal system, native vegetation, and historical values of the heroic Binh Loi region.
Immediately after the launching ceremony, city leaders, delegates, and residents participated in planting 503 trees of various types in the Lang Le Cultural Park area. The selected tree species included many valuable timber trees, shade trees, and flowering trees such as sandalwood, rosewood, and crape myrtle, contributing to the landscape while being suitable for the ecological conditions of the area.
Within the framework of the program, the Ho Chi Minh City Farmers' Association, the Department of Agriculture and Environment, and other coordinating units also signed a memorandum of understanding to implement activities in response to the "City of a Thousand Colors of Flowers" movement for the period 2026-2030. Accordingly, the units will coordinate to plant 176,000 trees in the city; build 152 green projects with models such as "Farmers' Flower Streets," "Farmers' Self-Managed Alleyways," "Balconies of a Thousand Colors of Flowers," "Great Solidarity Gardens," etc.
Many units and social organizations also participated in the program; among them, the City's Association for the Protection of Nature and Environment supported 50,000 seedlings; the City's Billionaire Farmers' Association supported the construction of nurseries with 10,000-20,000 seedlings; and Trang Linh Co., Ltd. supported 25 tons of fertilizer. Notably, the Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Association of Ho Chi Minh City donated 21 silver palm trees worth over 55 million VND to be planted in Lang Le Cultural Park.
At the ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Minh Thanh also requested that localities and units strictly manage the planned park and green space areas; avoid planting trees merely for show, and ensure that "every tree planted thrives." At the same time, he called on every citizen to start with small actions such as planting more trees in front of their houses or caring for a potted plant at their workplace to contribute to building Ho Chi Minh City into a "City of a Thousand Flowers," greener and more livable in the future.
Source: https://baotintuc.vn/xa-hoi/tp-ho-chi-minh-huong-toi-muc-tieu-do-thi-xanh-va-net-zero-20260519130105656.htm
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