The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has approved an air quality management plan for 2026-30, with a vision to 2045, aimed at preventing pollution, improving air quality, protecting public health and supporting sustainable development.
Ho Chi Minh City's skyline appeared hazy on September 16 as air quality fell to a low level (Photo: Nam Anh).
A key target is to reduce average annual concentrations of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, each year, while ensuring that air quality is rated good or moderate on at least 80 per cent of days.
By 2030, all road vehicles in the city, including cars, motorcycles and motorbikes, are to be subject to emissions management and controls under a phased rollout of national technical standards and regulations. The city also aims to have its entire public transport fleet powered by clean, green and environmentally friendly energy.
The plan calls for strict management and control of all major emissions sources in high-pollution industries, including cement production, thermal power generation, steelmaking and industrial boilers. A phased emissions reduction roadmap will also be developed.
All construction sites will be subject to strict management and required to implement environmental protection measures, including dust screening and vehicle washing. The city aims to end illegal open burning of rubbish and agricultural residues, while working towards the reuse or recycling of all crop residues left in fields.
Ho Chi Minh City also aims to have at least 500 buildings developed or upgraded according to green building principles by 2030. Other measures include improving street and public-area cleaning, expanding urban greenery and enhancing the cityscape.
To curb pollution, the municipal government has assigned the Department of Construction to lead research and implementation of low-emission zones (LEZs), with a view to restricting vehicles that fail to meet emissions standards.
Other proposed measures include regulating traffic in individual wards during peak hours, designating routes for heavy vehicles and construction-material trucks, and piloting transport vehicles equipped with tracking systems to monitor their movements and emissions.
The city also plans to introduce incentives for residents and businesses to replace older motorbikes with vehicles powered by clean energy. Support for students using public transport and the expansion of public bicycle services are also part of the strategy.
Under the plan, Ho Chi Minh City will invest in and upgrade air quality monitoring infrastructure, while applying science and technology, artificial intelligence and digital transformation to monitor and forecast emissions sources and air quality, and issue warnings when needed.
