(VOVWORLD) -Hanoi authorities and UN officials in Vietnam called for more aggressive actions to address air population as they observed World Environment Day on June 5 in a ceremony in Hanoi on Monday.
 Delegates launch a response to World Environment Day on June 5.
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Nguyen Minh Tan, Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said that raising awareness and changing behavior to jointly protect the city’s environment is an extremely urgent need.
“We not only do this for ourselves, but for future generations. A clean and green living environment not only brings health and happiness to all of us but is also a legacy for generations to come. We, all the people, businesses, and international friends currently living here, join hands with Hanoi to protect the environment we live in,” Tan said.
According to WHO Representative in Vietnam, Dr. Angela Pratt, improving air quality in Hanoi is in line with the Government's commitment to protecting and improving people's health and sustainable development to create a brighter, healthier and happier future.
“This year we really want to focus on tackling air pollution. Air pollution is of-course the cause of many health problems. But it’s also a challenge to socio-economic development and to Vietnam’s achievements of the sustainable development goals."
"So I think one of the things that Vietnam has made a commitment to through the national level but also at the city level, which is to tackle air pollution and to raise the ambitions in terms of Vietnam’s ambitions for net zero emissions and really making this city greener, healthier, and happier. So we are very proud to join hands and help this counter-action so that we can all come together and support that goal,” Pratt said.
UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam Ramla Khalidi urged Vietnam to take decisive actions to address the current sources of air pollution.
 Delegates attending the launching ceremony
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At the event, representatives from the Government, international organizations and the scientist community discussed solutions to "Clean Air, Green Cities", which they said will be a catalyst for greater cooperation between stakeholders to boost strong and immediate action to tackle air pollution.