Ho Chi Minh City outlines plan to curb major emissions, shift public transport to clean energy by 2030, with AQI below 100 by 2045

Ho Chi Minh City authorities have approved an Action Plan for controlling pollution and managing air quality for 2026-2030, with a vision to 2045. The plan aims to protect public health and promote a green city by setting a roadmap to comprehensively control major emission sources, shift public transport toward clean energy, and apply modern technology in environmental surveillance.

Overall objectives for 2026-2030 and vision to 2045

The city’s overall objective is to control and prevent pollution while gradually improving air quality.

For 2026-2030, the plan sets targets to reduce PM2.5 concentrations year by year and to raise the share of days with air quality at moderate levels or better to about 75-80%. It also emphasizes digital access to environmental information, aiming for 95% of residents to have access to air quality information through digital platforms.

Looking toward 2045, the city aims to maintain air quality at a moderate to good level, with the AQI kept below 100.

Emission control targets across key sectors

The plan calls for controlling 100% of major emission sources from industrial activities including cement, thermal power, steel, and boiler systems. In transport, it will apply a national standard framework to manage emissions from all vehicles.

By 2030, the city targets 100% of public transport vehicles to use clean energy, while encouraging the conversion of private vehicles and freight to green energy.

Urban greening and infrastructure measures

Urban infrastructure will be directed toward greening, including a target of at least 500 green projects by 2030 and pilots for air filtration systems in buildings.

Scale of the air quality challenge

Ho Chi Minh City faces significant environmental pressure, needing to serve more than 14 million residents and manage about 12.7 million vehicles. Emissions come from urban sources such as transport, industrial production, construction, and domestic activities, as well as from cross-provincial areas nearby.

Transport and technology adoption

The action plan for 2026-2030, with a vision to 2045, focuses on reducing emissions in four main sectors: transport, industry, construction, and residential activity.

In transport, the city will implement low-emission zones, restrict non-compliant vehicles, plan routes for heavy trucks, develop public transport and bike-sharing, and encourage a switch to green vehicles. It will also expand greenery along road corridors and intensify the deployment of vehicle emission monitoring technology.

Current progress on electric transport

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, the city currently has:

• More than 13,000 electric taxis, accounting for 71% of total taxis
• More than 600 electric buses, about 26% of the bus fleet
• About 25,000 electric motorcycles

These figures are cited as a foundation for the city’s transport transition.

Monitoring, enforcement, and data-driven management

The city will inventory emissions comprehensively, monitor major sources automatically, and connect data to a centralized management system. It will also review and gradually relocate polluting facilities out of the inner city.

For construction, dust control measures will be tightened. For outdoor burning, the plan calls for monitoring and enforcement using cameras, satellites, and drones, alongside strengthened inspections and penalties for violations.

To strengthen capabilities, the city will invest in an automated monitoring network and apply AI, IoT, and Big Data to analyze and forecast pollution. It will also deploy cameras, satellites, and drones to detect burning quickly and address it promptly.

Implementation priorities and cooperation

The plan includes international cooperation to support research and technology transfer for emission treatment, recycling by-products, and raising public awareness. To ensure effectiveness, the city will prioritize financial resources, develop parks and greenery, and improve the air quality management system in a synchronized manner by integrating national data.