jasdooit

Ho Chi Minh City intends to set up 157 air quality monitoring stations to monitor pollution patterns, issue early alerts about health dangers, and assist in developing new emission regulation policies.

The suggestion is a fundamental part of the 2026 Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring Program, which was recently submitted by the Department of Agriculture and Environment to the municipal People’s Committee. This effort arises as the city has often been listed among the most polluted areas in the region.

As per the department, the updated monitoring system will deliver ongoing, trustworthy scientific information to evaluate the impact of socio-economic development strategies. It will also improve the city’s ability to manage environmental emergencies, especially during periods of heavy traffic.

After administrative mergers in June, the population of HCMC has reached around 14 million individuals, who own almost 12.7 million motorcycles and vehicles.

Data collected between 2021 and 2025 showed that levels of PM10 and PM2.5 particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and noise often went beyond legal standards, particularly near road crossings and areas under construction.

Key sources of emissions are transportation, industry, and construction, along with pollution that drifts in from nearby provinces like Dong Nai and Long An (now part of Tay Ninh Province).

In addition to air quality, the department has suggested a significant increase in water and land monitoring efforts. This involves 254 stations for monitoring surface water quality, along with numerous locations for observing land subsidence, seawater quality, aquatic life, and sediment.

Recent data indicates that organic, nutrient, and microbial contamination are still common in rivers and canals, mainly because of significant amounts of untreated domestic sewage from urban and industrial zones. Moreover, extended groundwater pumping and the application of chemicals in farming are leading to falling groundwater levels and soil subsidence.

According to Directive No. 20 from the Prime Minister, HCMC must enhance its institutional system and tackle “bottlenecks” in environmental management. The city is currently implementing initiatives to manage vehicle emissions, encourage a shift towards sustainability, and create low-emission areas to deal with these significant pollution challenges.