The application of emission levels equivalent to Euro standards is an important, mandatory step in the context of air pollution becoming an increasingly burning issue in large cities.
According to the new regulations, vehicle groups are classified according to the year of manufacture and must meet the corresponding emission level. Vehicles manufactured before 1999 must meet Level 1 as soon as the regulation takes effect; Vehicles manufactured from 1999 to 2016 must meet Level 2; Vehicles manufactured before 2017-2021 must meet Level 3, especially in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City must increase to Level 4 from 2027. Vehicles manufactured from 2022 must immediately reach Level 4 and switch to Level 5 from 2032; in two major cities alone, this requirement is pushed 4 years earlier. This is a reasonably designed route, with the necessary "head-end" level, but still creates pressure for vehicle owners to comply with and invest in regular vehicle maintenance.
In reality, air pollution in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City has exceeded the recommended threshold for many years, especially in the winter months in the North when the counter-term layer makes it impossible for fine dust to diffuse. The majority of the cause comes from vehicles, with the number of cars and motorbikes increasing. It is not difficult to see cars emitting black smoke, consuming a lot of fuel but still traveling every day. Studies show that traffic accounts for up to 70% of emissions at many measuring points in urban areas. When the number of used cars is still large and the awareness of car maintenance is not high, applying emission standards becomes an urgent requirement, not a choice.
In addition to environmental pressure, the problem of public health is becoming increasingly clear. When air quality declines, people, especially the elderly, children and workers who have to move around a lot are the ones directly affected.
The roadmap for emission tightening will come with challenges. Low-income workers using used vehicles may be affected as vehicle maintenance costs increase. The inspection system must be upgraded to measure accurately and synchronously; otherwise, the regulation will be difficult to put into practice. People's awareness of compliance is also an important factor, because emission standards are only truly effective when each vehicle owner voluntarily maintains, repairs and eliminates unsafe vehicles.
However, all difficulties can be solved if appropriate support policies are provided: Environmentally friendly car loan incentives, incentives for switching to electric vehicles, increased supervision of inspection work, transparency of emission measurement data to limit negativity.
The most important thing is to recognize the long-term benefits that the policy brings. When emission standards are applied seriously, the urban environment will be cleaner, reducing diseases and medical costs. The transportation industry will be forced to innovate technology, towards vehicles using clean and fuel-efficient vehicles.
It is time to put community health above short-term convenience. Air protection is to protect the future of generations of urban areas that are growing day by day. The roadmap for applying emission standards from 2026 needs to be implemented firmly, synchronously and transparently to bring about real efficiency, making Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City green, clean, and truly livable cities.
