Vietnam is pushing emergency measures to cope with severe winter air pollution, ranging from restrictions on motorbike use to a shift to online school classes and work-from-home arrangements for civil servants. In a country where motorbikes are effectively the main mode of transport, worsening air pollution would disrupt daily commuting, work and education.
The government is considering issuing a red alert — the highest level — and taking such steps when the air quality index (AQI) exceeds 300 in eight northern provinces and cities, including Hanoi and Haiphong, Bloomberg reported on the 21st.
77 Million Motorbikes, Yet Curbs Loom as Pollution Worsens
Measures proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment include restricting the use of private motorbikes and waiving public transport fares when a red alert is issued. They also call for moving all school classes online and having civil servants work from home. Authorities plan to send pollution alerts at least three times a day and to provide protective equipment to outdoor workers and vulnerable groups.
Restricting motorbike use is a sharp step given Vietnam's transport conditions. The country, with a population of about 102.3 million, has more than 77 million registered motorbikes, which underpin commuting and livelihoods. Considering curbs on individual mobility to cut air pollution signals how serious the situation has become.
Northern Vietnam is known for worsening air pollution each winter. In Hanoi and other areas, the AQI frequently tops 200. Greater use of coal and other heating fuels, along with the practice of burning rice straw and other farm residue in rural areas, is cited as aggravating the pollution.
Fine Dust Above Global Standards, Worsening Every October
According to data from air quality monitor IQAir, Vietnam is among the most polluted countries in Southeast Asia. Hanoi in particular often ranks near the top of global city pollution rankings, and its concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has remained far above World Health Organization guidelines. In Vietnam, the period from October through March is seen as the season when air pollution worsens.
The WHO estimates that air pollution causes about 60,000 premature deaths a year in Vietnam. Hanoi's topography and winter weather conditions are also blamed for intensifying the pollution. The city sits in a basin, and when temperature inversions combine with weak winds, pollutants linger in the air instead of dispersing. Because traffic, heating and farming activity all contribute, some say the problem cannot be solved quickly.
The government is also pursuing policies to cut emissions from transport. It has unveiled a plan to convert all taxis in Hanoi to electric or eco-friendly vehicles by 2030, and aims to expand the share of eco-friendly vehicles in stages each year from 64% in 2026. The review of motorbike restrictions can be seen as an extension of that push to curb pollution from transport.
Neighboring countries are also grappling with wildfires that worsen air quality. In Indonesia, a satellite-based survey showed that 19,166 square kilometers burned from January to September this year, including on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. As the smoke has spread to Malaysia, Singapore and East Timor, air quality has deteriorated and concerns about respiratory illness have grown.
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