How to improve Hanoi’s air quality through the combination of effective solutions and innovative practices was the focus of the workshop "Enhancing the engagement of stakeholders in air quality management of Hanoi" held in the capital city on November 27.The workshop was organized by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE) of Hanoi in collaboration with the German Development Cooperation Agency GIZ and the Center for Living and Learning for Environment (Live & Learn).
Anna Schreyoegg, Chief Technical Advisor, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) addresses the event. Photo: Nguyen Ngan
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The workshop also served as a forum for sharing information and practical experiences to improve air quality. These collaborations and connections will contribute to improving air quality and health of people in Hanoi and other cities.
A representative from DONRE shared management ideas about protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects of air pollution. His figure showed that 40% of Hanoi’s eight million people live in urban areas. Huge urban population coupled with 17 industrial zones, 1,350 craft villages, six million registered motorbikes, 600,000 cars and massive constructions in execution are causing serious air pollution in the city.
Besides, the city consumes an estimated 40 million kilowatt hours of electricity and millions of liters of gasoline every day. These are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Hanoi, the representative added.
He stressed that in such context, the Hanoi People’s Committee has pioneered in improving air quality management with actions such as the “One Million Trees Program”, curbing pollution sources, and setting up air monitoring stations and posting air quality data on official websites to assess air quality and issue warnings to people.
A booth displayed at the workshop. Photo: Nguyen Ngan
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For her part, Anna Schreyoegg, chief technical advisor at Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) cited a report by the World Health Organization saying that aspiration diseases caused by polluted ambient air kill seven million lives each year globally. 92% of the world's population is breathing unhealthy air. Vietnam is among the countries that have the worst air quality in the world, particularly dusty pollution.
Improving air quality in particular and environmental protection in general always require strong and long-term cooperation between sectors and authorities at all levels, research institutions, civil society organizations and the community, Anna Schreyoegg emphasized.
Besides, she mentioned some solutions for improving Hanoi's ambient air quality, including intensifying the management system; strengthening the financial mechanism, resource diversification, clean infrastructure and green vehicle development investment; fostering activities to raise people’s awareness, encouraging the participation of the community and making information public, among others.
During the workshop, the stakeholders presented environmental protection ideas such as alternatives to beehive coal stoves, avoiding rice straw burning by using it to produce mushroom, air purification technology solutions, recycling wastes, and using organic products towards sustainable consumption.
The workshop participants also proposed appropriate solutions to support enhancing a draft action plan on clean air for the city of Hanoi.
The workshop was attended by nearly 200 delegates from the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Central Propaganda and Training Commission of Hanoi city’s Party Committee, socio-political organizations, People's Committees of districts and towns.
Besides, the USAID, the GIZ, the World Bank, embassies, national and international social organizations, universities and research institutes also took part in the workshop.
