Hanoi grapples with world's worst air pollution crisis
According to data from AirVisual, Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, has the most polluted air in the world. On Friday, 3rd January, the concentration of harmful PM2.5 particles was 266 micrograms per cubic metre. The World Health Organization has raised the alarm.
The Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, has been struggling with dense smog for several weeks, which, on the morning of Friday, 3rd January, reached the worst level in the world.
A dangerous situation for health
According to the World Health Organization, such a level poses a serious health risk, as values above 60 μg/m³ are already considered very high. Friday's result exceeded this standard by over 200 μg.
The dense smog is mainly caused by heavy street traffic, waste burning, and industrial activities. Hanoi, being one of the fastest-growing cities in Asia, is grappling with the consequences of dynamic economic growth.
Residents of the capital complain about breathing problems and reduced visibility. “At first I thought it was foggy ... but later I found out that it is actually fine dusts that reduce my vision and make me feel like it is not healthy to breathe,” admitted a 21-year-old Hanoi resident in an interview with Reuters.
Authorities want to tackle the problem
In response to the deteriorating air quality, Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister, Tran Hong Ha, called for intensified efforts to transition to electric vehicles. The city authorities plan for at least 50% of city buses to be electric by 2030. Additionally, they aim to convert all taxis to electric.
Besides Hanoi, other Asian metropolises dominate the list of the most polluted cities in the world: Delhi in India, Dhaka in Bangladesh, Lahore and Karachi in Pakistan, as well as Chinese cities Chengdu, Chongqing, and Wuhan. In Europe, the worst air quality was recorded in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, where the level of PM2.5 particles exceeded 100 μg/m³.
