Hanoi’s Smog Crisis and the Need for Real Action

On March 21, 2025, Hanoi was recorded as the most polluted major city in the world, according to IQAir and AirVisual. But this was not a one-off event. Earlier, on January 3, PM2.5 levels reached 266 µg/m³, once again placing Hanoi at the top of global pollution rankings. To this day, the capital remains consistently among the most polluted cities worldwide. This is not only an environmental issue, but also a thorny political problem.

A Public Health Alarm

These numbers depict directly through health consequences. From respiratory illnesses to weakened organ systems, both the elderly and the young are paying a price we have yet to fully account for.

Policy Response: Promises, Pilots, and Debate

In response, the government has had to act. Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà called for accelerated adoption of electric vehicles, setting a target that by 2030, 50% of buses and 100% of taxis would be electric. At the same time, a groundbreaking policy will ban gasoline-powered motorbikes from Hanoi’s city center starting in July 2026, with further expansion in 2028. Accompanying this are broader plans: upgraded waste treatment, digital pollution monitoring, and incentives for citizens to report environmental violations.

Hanoi veiled in fog. Photo: Hương Trà

But Promises are only as Strong as Executions

While these plans are encouraging, many critical questions are raised: Will there be enough charging stations for electric vehicles? How will low-income workers be supported when motorbikes are phased out? How feasible is this roadmap? Moreover, Vietnam remains heavily dependent on coal. According to Reuters, in early 2024, coal output surged, accounting for 55% of total electricity generation, further worsening emissions. (Reuters) Without cleaner sources of energy, focusing solely on vehicles is like patching a leak on a sinking ship.

The Need for Holistic and Equitable Action

Solutions must be both deeper and broader. These include accelerating the transition to green energy, reinvesting in accessible public transportation, strengthening monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, and prioritizing environmental justice to ensure lower-income communities are not left to bear the burden of change alone.

West Lake is recorded as the most polluted area in Hanoi. Photo: Thiều Trang

Thoughts - Clean Air Is a Collective Right

Political will is not just about speeches and targets. It is about the determination to overhaul infrastructure, energy systems, and incentives, with public health as the ultimate benchmark. Hanoi’s air crisis is not just an environmental lapse; it is a moral test.

If leaders do not act comprehensively now, we will risk losing faith in the very compact that binds government to its people: the promise of safety, dignity, and the right to breathe freely. For citizens, especially Gen Z, this is the air we breathe on the way to class, and the future we will inherit. Our generation can push back by reshaping daily habits from riding bikes or buses instead of relying on motorbikes and cars, joining clean-air campaigns, and pressing universities, workplaces, and even local shops to adopt greener practices. We can use the platforms we dominate to spotlight pollution data, call out corporate greenwashing, and organize community clean-ups that make change visible. By combining small personal actions with bold collective pressure, our generation can show that a cleaner sky is an outcome we are willing to fight for.

Vietnam electricity generation by source