Gov’t approves national plan on air quality management

The plan targets to properly manage industrial emissions in line with the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection and ensure that industrial production sites manage and treat emissions in accordance with environmentally technical standards. 

It also targets to strengthen monitoring, warning and forecasting of ambient air quality in urban areas and areas with high waste sources and effectively control emissions from residential, construction and agricultural activities. 

The Government will continue to implement the Decision 177/2007/QD-TTg, dated July 20, 2007, approving the Scheme on Development of Biofuels up to 2015, with a Vision to 2025, read the plan.

It will also review, finalize and submit to the Prime Minister for promulgation of a roadmap for application of national technical regulations on emissions of road motor vehicles in Viet Nam. 

The plan was introduced as air pollution in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City has become a hot topic in recent years. Air quality in both cities has worsened in recent years due to exhaust fumes, factory smoke and construction dust.

Official data shows Viet Nam suffers an estimated US$10.8- 13.2 billion worth of economic loss due to ambient air pollution each year, or equivalent to 5 percent of GDP.

Earlier, at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), held in Glasgow, Scotland (the UK), Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made a strong commitment to achieve net zero by 2050. 

By Kim Loan