Viet Nam to apply AI to control air pollution efficiently

On November 25 in Hanoi, Tuoi Tre Newspaper coordinated with the Viet Nam Environment Administration (VEA) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) to organize a seminar titled "Improving Urban Air Quality." This is one of the meaningful activities under the "Integrating Climate Change Resilience with Environmental Protection to Develop Secondary Green Cities" project.

At the seminar, Mr. Le Hoai Nam, Deputy Director of VEA, stated that air pollution in Hanoi and many Northern provinces, particularly in the Red River Delta, has been developing in a complex manner. In 2024 alone, Hanoi experienced four episodes of severe pollution; the annual average PM2.5 concentration exceeded national standards by about two times; and the number of days with poor air quality also rose sharply. Entering 2025, pollution levels have been slightly lower as winter has just begun and temperature inversion phenomena have not yet appeared frequently.

The prolonged pollution has been attributed to emissions from industry, transportation, agriculture, and construction, along with unfavorable winter meteorological conditions in Northern Viet Nam, characterized by weak winds and temperature inversions that cause pollutant accumulation.

Representing the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Environment, Ms. Le Thanh Thuy, Deputy Head of the Environmental Management Division, said that Hanoi is under enormous pressure from air pollution. Industrial emissions are not the only source; traffic activity involving 7.6 million vehicles also contributes significantly, accounting for 12-15% of particulate matter (PM) pollution, with road dust alone from traffic accounting for 20-23%. Additionally, pollution arises from by-products in agriculture and construction.

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ly Bich Thuy at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, although an overall picture of pollution sources is available, detailed data remain insufficient. For example, traffic is identified as a significant source of emissions, yet the specific contributions from motorcycles, cars, and other vehicles have not been clearly quantified. Therefore, the application of digitalization and AI is essential to collect comprehensive data, accurately identify emission sources, and provide a foundation for building standards and applying appropriate technologies to reduce pollution.

Sharing the same view, Dr. Hoang Duong Tung, Chairman of the Viet Nam Clean Air Network, emphasized that air pollution in Hanoi is closely linked to neighboring provinces, including Bac Ninh, Ninh Binh, and Hung Yen. For this reason, AI should be used to clean and synchronize datasets, from emission source data to monitoring data. Only when the data are "clear, clean, and live" can authorities construct appropriate scenarios and policies, set the right priorities, and enable early warnings and accurate forecasting.

Regarding ongoing policies, Mr. Le Hoai Nam noted that the Government has issued the National Action Plan on Air Pollution Remediation and Air Quality Management for the 2026–2030 period, with a vision to 2045. The MAE is the focal agency responsible for urging, guiding, and organizing implementation of the plan. At present, under its assigned tasks, the Ministry is preparing the earliest implementation plan, focusing on controlling the two main emission sources: industry and transportation.

The Ministry has also issued new, higher, and stricter standards for the industrial sector, with an implementation roadmap through 2032. Meeting these standards will require industrial facilities to undertake technological upgrades or shifts in energy, fuels, or treatment technologies.

Similarly, in the transportation sector, the Ministry has submitted a draft roadmap to the Prime Minister for implementing new vehicle emission standards. The proposal includes a general roadmap as well as provisions for earlier and stricter application in major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The draft proposes a five-level system of progressively tightened standards, while Viet Nam currently applies only the first two levels. The completion and implementation of this roadmap are expected to help reduce vehicle emissions, which are a major source of air pollution in urban areas.

Alongside emission source control, the MAE is also strengthening air quality forecasting. According to Mr. Le Hoai Nam, air quality bulletins are now broadcast on VTV programs and updated in real time on the monitoring portal, with a forecasting capacity of up to 48 hours. In the coming period, the Ministry aims to extend the forecast period to seven days by upgrading technological infrastructure and integrating advanced AI models, thereby supporting early warnings and improving management work and public health protection.