Ha Noi aims to cut average annual PM2.5 concentrations by around 20% by 2030 compared to 2024 levels, lowering them to below 40 µg/m³, as air pollution remains a serious challenge for the capital and other major urban areas.

A positive sign in tackling air pollution in urban areas, especially Ha Noi, is the clear political determination affirmed from the central to local authorities.

Only seven countries meet the PM2.5 threshold recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), while more than 90% of countries exceed safe levels, according to the World Air Quality Report 2025 released by IQAir.

In recent days, air quality in Ha Noi has remained at alarming levels. On the evening of December 7, several environmental monitoring applications in the capital recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 230, making Ha Noi the most polluted city in the world at that time.

The Viet Nam National Industry-Energy Group (Petrovietnam) and the PetroVietnam Fertiliser and Chemicals Corporation (PVFCCo) held a workshop titled “Reducing emissions from diesel-powered vehicles: Current situation and solutions in the Southeast region” in Ho Chi Minh City on December 4.

Air pollution has become one of the most serious health hazards in Viet Nam, particularly in major cities such as Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City, where poor air quality is recorded at many times of the year. As such, finding solutions to reduce urban air pollution has received attention from all levels of government.

In just over a month, the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) will take place in Egypt. Amid the rapid and unpredictable climate change, countries are racing against time to turn their climate commitments into real and concrete actions.