On October 12th and 13th, 2019, as part of the European Union Climate Diplomacy Weeks 2019, the European Union (EU) Delegation supported Keep Hanoi Clean's effort to organize a clean-up event at Red River and Long Bien Bridge, Hanoi.
Around 200 volunteers attended the clean-up event each day, including representatives from the EU Delegation, EU Member States and youth in Hanoi.
Speaking at the event, the Ambassador Designate of the European Union, Mr Giorgio Aliberti, said: “Although I’ve been in Hanoi only for a short time, I know that the Long Bien Bridge is one of the most iconic parts of Hanoi. Therefore, the EU is proud to support this initiative. The EU is engaged in a global campaign on annual beach clean-up efforts. While there is no beach in Hanoi, cleaning up our living area is a good example of action that we can take ourselves. If we want to achieve more sustainable development, we have to ensure nature will be in a position to continue providing benefits: clean air, clean water, foods and medicines through healthy soils, healthy oceans… And for this, we all need to change our behavior and be more respectful to nature. The purpose of the event is not only to cleanup but also to raise awareness".
Behind the Long Bien Market there is one small community with approximately 300 to 500 people living in metal shacks without waste management services. The alley leading to their houses is too long and narrow for the environmental service companies to enter and remove the waste that is generated daily by local residents. Due to lack of access, the local people throw most of their waste into a ravine alongside the river which when flooded connects directly to the Red River. When trash is not taken away by the Red River, it’s often burned by locals.
Keep Hanoi Clean organized a cleanup event in November 2017 and achieved great results. The waste management company estimated that 14 tons of waste were removed from the location during our cleanup event. The area stayed clean for five months after the cleanup event, but then slowly returned back to its previous condition.
The founder of Keep Hanoi Clean, Mr James Joseph Kendall, shared that “The first step of our plan to permanently solve this disastrous problem is to organize another cleanup event, to once again bring attention to the problem. After that, we would initiate planning a system for waste removal with the government and local residents, ensuring the system for waste removal be implemented before April, 2020. After the program is initiated, one more final cleanup event will be organized in April of next year.”
As part of the program, the area would be provided large trash cans and families would share the daily task of making sure the trash cans are taken to the street, where waste removal is possible. Due to many poor families in the area, implementing an incentive based program for a period of time to reward local families who take the responsibility to keep their neighbourhood clean would both benefit their community financially and would reduce the waste released into the Red River.
The European Union Climate Diplomacy Weeks 2019
EU supported the cleaning operation in the context of its Climate Diplomacy Weeks. Every year, EU Delegations around the world reach out to communities and partner organisations, highlighting positive global action and collaboration on climate change.
This year, the Delegation of European Union to Vietnam (EU) in collaboration with the Embassies of EU Member States and its partners, showcased a series of activities aimed to raise public awareness on the urgent need, addressing climate change.
Activities were organised between 27 September and 13 October in Ha Noi, Da Nang and Hoi An, including:
27/9 AM: Solar rooftop inauguration in a primary school in Da Nang (organised by Da Nang Energy Conservation and Technology Consultant Centre and Vo Thi Sau primary school)
27/9 PM: Workshop/discussion with students of Da Nang University (organised by the Climate Change Working Group and the University of Da Nang).
28/9 AM: Cycling event in Hoi An, organised by Germany - GIZ in cooperation with Hoi An People Committee.
03/10 AM: A movie screening "Chasing Coral" and a discussion with the youth.
12-13/10: Cleaning operation in Long Bien Bridge area, in cooperation with Keep Hanoi Clean.
The target audience of the EU Climate Diplomacy Weeks is the young generations, whose futures are the most threatened by the impact of climate change. Climate change is a pressing reality today and, if we fail to act now, it will increasingly affect the future of the young, their children and grandchildren. It is time to respond to this call to action.
The Ambassador Designate of the European Union, Mr Giorgio Aliberti said: “We want to show our support to the youth and value their efforts in bringing awareness to such a worrying and pressing issue like climate change and environmental degradation. Earth's future depends on our engagement, and so does life as we know it.”
Viet Nam has been ranked among the five countries likely to be severely affected by climate change and its related disasters. Consistent to its international commitments regarding Climate Change and Sustainable Development Goals, the EU is actively helping Viet Nam on mitigation through support for an energy transition, and adaptation through funding studies on climate change impact and support for adaptation measures.
Under its 2014-2020 budget, the EU allocated EUR 350 million for programmes on environment, natural resources and climate change in Vietnam, and for sustainable investment projects.
About Keep Hanoi Clean
Keep Hanoi Clean (KHC) was founded by James Joseph Kendall in May 2016, a long-term American resident of Hanoi who was concerned about the levels of trash in and around his neighbourhood. He was originally inspired by his Vietnamese friend’s challenge to expatriates living in Vietnam to show their commitment to the country by helping to improve problems that they saw around them. Since the first clean-up event in 2016, James and his team of volunteers have engaged with nearly 2,000 volunteers and collected many tons of trash from over 50 locations in Vietnam. Cleanup sites have ranged from downtown urban Hanoi to as far north as Sapa.
The three non-profit programs - Clean Air Program, Clean Land Program, and Clean Water Program – will each include scientific research, public education, hands-on volunteer work, and collaboration with other organizations and the government. The ultimate goals of KHC will first be to help Hanoi become a green gem of a city for sustainable living in South East Asia, and then to replicate this success across Vietnam wherever cities and towns are friendly to the green lifestyle ideas and collaborative work that KHC supports.
Keep Hanoi Clean is a proof that anyone who has an idea, and is motivated about acting on that idea, can effect positive change and better their world.
