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[Speech by Ms Ramla Khalidi, UNDP Resident Representative in Viet Nam]
Xin chao quy vi.
I’d like to begin by thanking the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Ministry of Health for their leadership in convening this conference;
And for their continued partnership in advancing air quality in Viet Nam.
One year ago, Viet Nam convened the first national conference on air pollution. We used that opportunity to talk about the challenges.
Today, under the theme from Policies to Action, we are focusing on implementation.
Since that first conference, the Government has issued a comprehensive National Action Plan on Air Quality.
The plan strengthens accountability, and mobilizes coordinated action across government, cities, enterprises and communities.
Measurable air quality targets have been set:
Ha Noi is to achieve a 20 percent reduction in PM2.5 by 2030.
And both Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City are expected to record good or moderate air quality for at least 80 percent of the year.
Just as importantly, the Plan brings together the different sectors that must be part of the solution: transport, industry, construction, agriculture, health, and science and technology.
And it sets out practical measures to reduce emissions at source.
Air quality is part of Viet Nam’s broader vision for the new economic development model.
One in which green transition is not only an environmental priority, but a driver of competitiveness, and sustainable development.
Clean air is fundamental to how people live, learn, work, and thrive.
And it is increasingly a measure of the kind of cities, economy and society that Viet Nam is working to build.
We are particularly excited about the work we’re doing with national and local authorities and with partners such as the Clean Air Fund and Clean Air Asia.
For example, supporting the Government to develop a standardized national air emission inventory system as a basis for addressing air pollution sources, strengthening integration of environment and health data, and supporting analysis on how to finance key air quality investments.
And we see opportunities to continue strengthening linkages between air quality action and Viet Nam’s climate ambition by addressing super-pollutants that contribute to both poor air quality and global warming.
At the city level, we see our engagement with Ha Noi authorities as an opportunity to demonstrate what integrated implementation can look like. Our ambition is to pilot a “Breathable City” approach, combining science, technology, citizen participation and investment solutions into a practical model that can generate lessons for wider application.
Ultimately, our success will be measured in cleaner air, more liveable and competitive cities, and better quality of life for the people of Viet Nam.
That is the transition from policies to action that brings us together today.
Working side by side, UNDP and WHO, stand ready to accompany the Government of Viet Nam on that journey.
[Speech by Dr Angela Pratt, WHO Representative in Viet Nam)
It is both a great pleasure and a true honour to be here with all of you today.
It’s also with a real sense of excitement – because as Ramla said, this year we stand in a real moment of opportunity, to support the translation of Viet Nam’s very clear air quality policies and commitments into action with tangible impact.
And of course, there is no stronger case for doing that, than health.
Perhaps you have already heard the statistics, but they bear repeating: air pollution causes an estimated 70,000 deaths every year in Viet Nam, and reduces average life expectancy by 1.4 years.
That’s why the Government’s new air quality targets are so important: progressive reductions in average PM2.5 levels in line with the targets will result in less disease and ill health, and lives saved.
And importantly, experience from other countries shows that this is achievable.
Just last week, Ramla and I were privileged to accompany Vice Minister Lien Huong, together with representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Hanoi's environmental authorities and health sector leaders, to Beijing, to learn from China’s experience.
The key takeaway was clear: progress is possible when strong commitments and targets are combined with excellence in implementation.
Specifically, we learnt about China’s efforts to control emissions – both short and long-term; to build the context-specific evidence base on health impacts; the importance of monitoring and forecasting; the use of integrated data platforms to support policy planning and real-time mitigation measures; and the importance of coordinated, multi-sectoral action across different levels of government.
Through these measures, the number of heavily polluted days in Beijing fell from 58 in 2013, to just one last year, in 2025.
For me personally last week’s trip was very meaningful, because my first WHO posting was to Beijing from 2012. During my first winter there we experienced some of the worst air quality that the city had ever seen. So in the following years, I saw with my own eyes, and felt with my own lungs, the benefits of strong action.
Importantly, the foundations of China’s success are in place in Viet Nam today: Viet Nam now has stronger policies, clearer targets and greater momentum than ever before.
In addition, new technologies, including artificial intelligence, are creating opportunities to better understand pollution sources, improve forecasting, and support targeted interventions. We are also seeing growing engagement from different levels of government, researchers, businesses and communities – exactly the kind of cross-sectoral commitment that is needed.
And this is why I – we – approach today’s conference with an abundant sense of optimism. Progress is possible – and within a relatively short space of time.
WHO and UNDP are honoured to support this work in Viet Nam. We appreciate the interest from all of you in being here today. We are inspired by the commitment of Viet Nam’s leaders. So with all of our hearts and all of our lungs, we look forward to continuing to work with you towards blue skies, clean air, and a healthier Viet Nam!
Xin cam on!