Ho Chi Minh City’s new air‑quality plan aims for 80% of days with good or moderate air by 2030 and good air every day by 2045, according to the municipal People’s Committee. The ambitious targets make the city’s strategy worth studying.

Municipal data says road traffic is the leading source of pollution, followed closely by industrial emissions, while dust from traffic corridors, seaports, industrial zones and mining areas also adds to the problem. In 2025, PM2.5 concentrations were recorded at 1.1‑4.6 times the legal limits, and measurements at the Cat Lai port showed that 84% of total suspended particulates exceeded standards between 2021 and 2025.

The plan orders stricter emission standards for cars and motorcycles, based on a new national roadmap, and will create low‑emission zones that restrict vehicles that do not meet these limits. It also prioritises a shift to clean‑energy buses, taxis and trucks before private vehicles, with the goal that the entire public transport fleet runs on environmentally friendly energy by 2030.

Construction sites will have to follow rigorous dust‑control rules, such as installing barriers, covering materials and washing vehicle wheels. The city will also increase street vacuum sweeping, pilot mist‑spraying systems, expand tree‑planting, and upgrade its monitoring network so that 95% of residents receive real‑time air‑quality alerts.

Ho Chi Minh City’s comprehensive mix of stricter emissions policies, dust‑reduction measures and real‑time information shows how a city can move toward cleaner air. Other urban areas can learn from this coordinated approach when setting their own air‑quality goals.