Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, has been blanketed in thick smog over recent weeks, placing it at the top of the world’s most polluted cities, according to air quality monitoring app AirVisual. Early on Friday, the city recorded hazardous PM2.5 levels of 266 micrograms per cubic meter, highlighting the severity of its air pollution crisis.
According to a Reuters report, the worsening air quality, attributed to heavy traffic, industrial activities, and trash burning, has raised concerns among residents. Luu Minh Duc, a 64-year-old Hanoi resident, shared, “We can feel it clearly through respiratory problems, and it seems to have gotten worse recently.” Young people have also expressed unease, with 21-year-old student Nguyen Ninh Huong saying, “At first, I thought it was fog, but I realized it’s fine dust affecting visibility and making it unhealthy to breathe.”
In response, the Vietnamese government is advocating for a shift to electric vehicles (EVs) to combat pollution. Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha emphasized the urgency during a recent meeting with the transport ministry, urging accelerated EV adoption. Hanoi aims to convert at least 50% of buses and all taxis to electric by 2030.
“This is the responsibility of the state to the people, and there must be specific and timely actions,” Ha stated, as reported by Tien Phong newspaper. Ministries have yet to comment on the measures.
