A 2020 Vision: An Integrated Policy Reform for Air Quality Management in Hanoi City

Abstract:

Within the frame of the National Strategy for Environmental Protection 2010/ 2020 for Vietnam an Air Quality Management (AQM) action plan was developed for Hanoi. The work was carried out in cooperation with Hanoi DONREH and the Swiss-Vietnamese Clean Air Program, a project under a bilateral agreement of the two governments.

The plan represents a systematic and integral approach, which provides the base for a comprehensive AQM with a long-term view. It systematically addresses the major air quality concerns in Hanoi, in particular e.g. the dust and micro-dust problem, direct vehicular emissions, pollution from the industry, and growing small and medium enterprise’s in the residential areas. The action plan includes a sound situation analysis (based on reliable data), defines air quality/emission targets and prioritizes a set of feasible measures to achieve targets.

Implementation of the AQM plan is expected to offer “co-benefits”, as the proposed measures will not only result in the reduction of air pollution in Hanoi and associated health risks, but also reduce substantial green house gas emissions from the transport and industrial sectors and reduce environmental damage costs.

The SIM-air (Simple Interactive Model) analytical tool, was developed to support planning a comprehensive and systematic knowledge base, a shared-vision among the stakeholders involved, and optimizing among the an array pollution management options, for informed decision making. The AQM action plan development was carried out as an inter-disciplinary task; thus stimulating a broad discussion on co-benefits of air pollution reduction and raising awareness at the institutional level.