Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, has been engulfed in dense smog in recent weeks, placing it at the top of the world’s most polluted cities.
In response, the government has announced plans to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) as a key measure to tackle the issue.
According to data from AirVisual, an independent air quality monitoring platform, PM2.5 levels—a measure of hazardous fine particles—reached 266 micrograms per cubic meter in Hanoi early Friday, marking the highest reading among global cities.
Vietnam, a rapidly developing Southeast Asian economy and regional manufacturing hub, has struggled with severe air pollution in its major urban centers for years, with Hanoi being particularly affected. The primary contributors to the smog include heavy traffic, waste burning, and industrial emissions.
“We elderly people can feel the effects clearly, especially with respiratory issues making it hard to breathe,” said Luu Minh Duc, a 64-year-old Hanoi resident. Similarly, 21-year-old student Nguyen Ninh Huong remarked, “At first, I thought it was fog, but then I realized it was fine dust reducing visibility and making it uncomfortable to breathe.”
During a recent meeting with the Ministry of Transport, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha emphasized the urgent need to transition to electric vehicles, stating, “This is the government’s responsibility to its people, and concrete, timely actions are required.”
Hanoi aims to ensure that at least 50% of buses and 100% of taxis are electric by 2030 as part of its pollution-reduction strategy. However, the Ministries of Natural Resources, Environment, and Health have yet to provide further comments on immediate steps being taken.
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Source: Vietnam Insider