Particularly, the Government chief tasked ministries and localities to immediately review and evaluate the implementation of regulations on dust and emission control right in the first half of 2021.

He asked for promptly enhancing air quality monitoring capacity to ensure that air will be monitored nationwide by 2025.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment was tasked to review and report to the Prime Minister a roadmap for application of national emission standards for road motor vehicles in the fourth quarter this year.

The main causes to air pollution in Viet Nam come from exhaust of transport means, construction activities, industrial production, and low rate of trees in urban areas.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the most concerning air pollutant in Viet Nam. Another problem is dust from commercial and residential construction sites. Thousands of construction sites filled with trucks that are heavily loaded with sand and cement create perpetual dust storms.

More than 60 000 deaths from heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 2016 were linked to air pollution, making air pollution a silent killer in Viet Nam, according to the World Health Organization.

In a bid to reduce air pollution, Prime Minister Phuc signed Decision No. 985a/QD-TTg in 2016 approving the National action plan on air quality management by 2020 with the vision to 2025.

The Decision outlines activities – including determining and keep an eye on pollution sources and monitoring air quality at all levels – which will inform actions towards air quality improvement./.