(TVU) – According to the announcement of the global air quality monitoring agency IQAir (Switzerland) in 2024, Tra Vinh city (now Tra Vinh ward, Nguyet Hoa ward, Hoa Thuan ward, and Long Duc ward, Vinh Long province) tops the list of cities with the cleanest air quality in Southeast Asia.
The city is considered to have the cleanest air, with an impressive air pollution level of 5.2 µg/m³. This remarkable achievement recognizes Vietnam’s increasing efforts in environmental management and sustainable development. The city’s stable air quality is a shining example for other cities in the region striving to reduce pollution and improve the quality of life.
Kapit (Malaysia) came in second with 7.1 µg/m³, demonstrating Malaysia’s progress in protecting its natural resources, especially in less industrialized areas. Meanwhile, Carmona (Philippines) came in third with 7.4 µg/m³, showing the Philippines’ efforts to balance urban growth with environmental protection through green initiatives and cleaner transport policies.
Other cities that made it into the top 10 include Sampit (Indonesia), Bo Put (Thailand), Sintang and Pangkalan Bun (Indonesia), Limbang and Sri Aman (Malaysia), and Calamba (Philippines). The presence of these cities shows that Southeast Asia is moving towards a cleaner, healthier environment together. As people’s awareness grows, the region’s sustainability and feasible, effective policies are ensured.
Previously, Tra Vinh city ranked 3rd in the Top 15 cities with the cleanest air quality in Southeast Asia and was ranked the cleanest in Vietnam. Of which, Vietnam ranked 22nd out of 134 countries, regions, and territories, and Tra Vinh city alone was rated by IQAir as the cleanest place in Vietnam (ranked 6,806) in early 2024.
It is known that Tra Vinh is considered a top 5 province in the Mekong Delta region and ranked 23rd in the country with 22.93 points in terms of environmental governance quality and green growth orientation in the Green Index (PGI) ranking in 2024. PGI is a set of indicators to evaluate and rank environmentally friendly localities, focusing on the practical level of application of environmentally friendly technology by local businesses.
The Vietnam Federation of Commerce and Industry, in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), announced that Tra Vinh province’s Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) 2024 reached 68.94 points, an increase of 6 ranks compared to 2023.
HIEU NHAN
PHOTO: XUYEN VO
