“Hanoi Air Quality: Situation and Solutions” Conference

On August 27, 2019, the conference "Hanoi Air Quality: Situation and Solutions" took place in Hanoi, co-organised by the Green Innovation and Development Centre (GreenID), Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Association (VUSTA) and National University of Civil Engineering. With the participation of nearly representatives from the Vietnamese Fatherland Front, Government departments/agencies, experts on air quality, representatives from socio-political organisations, development partners, research institutes and the Clean Air-Green City network, press units, the conference open opportunities and create a forum for discussing solutions to improve the air quality in the city.

The atmosphere of the conference

Giving the opening speech, professor Bui Thi An, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi Union of Science and Technology Associations, expressed her concern about air quality in big cities in Vietnam “Air pollution in Hanoi especially the inner city is alarming, affecting not only the people health but also city activities. The city also has some solutions, but it is a long story not only for Hanoi but also for many major cities such as Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang, industrial parks and our country…”

Currently, there have been many studies showing the negative impacts of dust on health, but there have been no official reports on the impact of fine dust concentration indoor in Vietnam. Professor Tran Ngoc Quang concluded that emissions from motor vehicles directly affect the concentration of fine dust outside the building, while the interior of the building is often due to the habit of opening the door for natural ventilation. In order to get more accurate scientific information, we need to continue deploying the increase of observation stations and longer measurement time.

The conference opened the space for delegates to give an objective opinion on the urgency of issuing policies, and at the same time implementing solutions to control and manage air quality in Vietnam. In this process, all participants agreed on the importance of the relevant stakeholders to speak out and act.

The period from now to 2020 creates many policy development opportunities to address air quality issues in Vietnam, especially when the air quality in big cities like Hanoi is a major concern for both the people and the authorities at all levels. We hope that the conference is a start for the formation of a linkage between organisations and relevant stakeholders to brainstorm appropriate and effective air quality policy. As a social organisation with an advantage in promoting the application of clean energy solutions to reduce air pollution, GreenID is ready to accompany the people of Vietnam on the journey to “clean up the air” by increasing awareness, publishing studies and news. We work as a bridge, bringing the voice of the community to the policymakers.