Brian Jeffrey
Efforts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in Vietnam highlight the urgent need to tackle emissions from transportation, particularly from the nearly 6.5 million cars in the country. A recent seminar shed light on potential policies and strategies to combat this environmental challenge.
During the seminar titled “Reducing emissions in the automotive sector: many paths, one destination,” organized by Dau Tu Newspaper, Vo Minh Luc, the Executive Director of BYD Vietnam, emphasized that transportation stands out as a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, playing a critical role in climate change.
Traditional vehicles that rely on fossil fuels not only contribute to air pollution but also pose health risks to the population. Additionally, the surge in population and urbanization has strained the transportation system, leading to traffic congestion and heightened pollution levels.
Le Trong Minh, the Editor-in-Chief of Dau Tu Newspaper, highlighted the alarming statistic that Vietnam currently has nearly 6.5 million cars on its roads, essentially acting as mobile emission stations that significantly impact air quality and public health.
An analysis from the Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health reveals that transportation vehicles are the primary source of air pollution in urban areas, responsible for up to 70% of dust and emissions in the atmosphere, contributing to approximately 3.8 million premature deaths each year.
In light of these issues, Minh stressed the need for a transition away from these emission-intensive vehicles, emphasizing that aligning with global trends to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 is imperative for Vietnam’s sustainable development goals.
The Ministry of Transport (MOT) has put forth various policies and initiatives to promote the adoption of electric vehicles as a way to curb environmental emissions.
The MOT recommends incentives for three types of electric vehicles: battery electric vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles, and solar-powered cars. These incentives include exemptions or reductions in registration and license plate fees, subsidies for buyers, credit access, and loan incentives for transport companies transitioning to electric vehicles, particularly electric buses.
Despite the potential benefits of these policies, experts caution that challenges in developing green transportation in Vietnam persist. These challenges encompass issues like insufficient urban planning for charging stations, a transportation infrastructure that does not adequately support the transition to green vehicles, and unclear implementation of policies to shift from traditional combustion engine vehicles to newer energy vehicles.
Vo Minh Luc suggests the need for a comprehensive program focusing on transitioning to electric and green energy vehicles in Vietnam, encouraging both the public and businesses to embrace environmentally friendly transportation.
