Hanoi air pollution: Lawmaker calls to relocate residents from old apartments

On April 12, during the ongoing first session of the 16th National Assembly, lawmakers discussed the draft amended Capital Law, with particular attention drawn to environmental issues and air quality in Hanoi.

A delegate from Dong Nai province stated that air pollution in Hanoi is not a newly emerging issue but has persisted for many years. According to him, alongside objective factors such as climate change, the primary causes are largely attributable to human activities.

Emphasizing population pressure and urban infrastructure, he pointed out that Hanoi currently houses a large population and has a high density of high-rise buildings, industrial facilities, hospitals, and schools. To fundamentally address environmental pollution, he proposed implementing population-deconcentration measures and relocating residents from inner-city areas.

“For high-rise buildings, especially deteriorating apartment blocks, they should not be renovated but relocated. To do this, there must be adequate social housing for residents,” he stated.

From practical observations, he noted that Hanoi still has many residential areas with very narrow alleys, some only about 1 meter wide. According to him, this is not commensurate with the status of the capital as a hub for international exchange.

Regarding provisions in the draft law allowing the Hanoi People’s Council to decide on suspending electricity and water supply to certain facilities and production or business establishments to ensure security and public order, delegate Pham Van Hoa expressed reservations.

He recalled that Hanoi had previously proposed this measure, but the National Assembly did not approve it. Therefore, he suggested that the drafting agency should clarify the shortcomings in previous implementation as a basis for further consideration by the National Assembly.

"The National Assembly had already rejected it before, and even in the recent amendments to the Capital Law it was not approved, so why is it being proposed again now" he questioned.

In his view, there are already sufficiently strong legal tools to handle violations, making it unnecessary to apply measures such as cutting electricity and water supply. He also stressed that such actions could significantly affect the daily lives of residents living in areas where offending businesses operate.

From another perspective, delegate Ta Van Ha (Da Nang) said that the revised Capital Law carries significance in terms of institutional reform, enabling Hanoi to realize its development aspirations in the new phase.

He expressed support for the policy groups in the draft law, particularly provisions on strong decentralization and delegation of authority to the city government. Accordingly, Hanoi would be granted additional powers, including the authority to develop and issue legal normative documents and to pilot special mechanisms and policies.

The draft law assigns a total of 192 competencies to Hanoi, including 50 inherited from the Capital Law 39/2024/QH15 and Resolution 258/2025/QH15; 57 competencies under the authority of higher-level state agencies; and 85 new competencies not yet provided for in existing legislation.

However, delegate Ta Van Ha also noted that stronger decentralization must go hand in hand with strict control of power. He stressed that Hanoi needs to fully assess the capacity of its administrative apparatus to implement, particularly the team responsible for advising on policy and legal formulation.

Meanwhile, delegate Nguyen Thi Thuy (Thai Nguyen province) argued that strong decentralization is not a priority exclusive to the capital, but rather a practical necessity, as Hanoi has been assigned very ambitious development goals within a relatively short timeframe.

According to her, the draft law allows Hanoi to pilot policies that differ from existing laws or are not yet regulated by law. This design follows a selective exemption and selective authorization approach, meaning pilot implementation is not permitted in sensitive areas such as national security, defense, foreign affairs, or religion linked to sovereignty, and is limited to six specific sectors.

The discussions in the National Assembly show that, alongside expanding institutional space for Hanoi’s development, there is also a need for comprehensive, fundamental solutions to urban challenges, especially environmental pollution, which remains one of the most pressing issues today.

As of early 2026, Hanoi is experiencing severe air pollution, frequently ranking among the world's top 10 most polluted cities, with AQI levels exceeding 160–180.