A view of Hà Nội. The city is seeking to align economic growth with social development and environmental protection as part of its long-term development strategy. — VNA/VNS Photos

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội leaders have directed municipal departments and local authorities to review progress on sustainable development goals and assess the feasibility of meeting targets by 2030, as the capital seeks to align economic growth with social development and environmental protection.

Đỗ Anh Tuấn, vice chairman of the municipal People's Committee, recently signed Official Dispatch 4649/UBND-KT on improving the city's sustainable development indicators for 2026.

Under the directive, municipal departments and agencies are required to review the sustainable development goals and targets under their responsibility and assess progress toward meeting them by 2030.

The city also called for sustainable development goals to be integrated into sectoral strategies, master plans, programmes and development plans, as well as its annual and five-year socio-economic development plans.

The plans should ensure greater alignment between economic growth and cultural and social development, environmental protection, efficient resource use, climate change response, social welfare and improvements in people's quality of life, city authorities said.

Hà Nội officials also called for more effective use of State budget resources and other funding, while promoting socialisation, public-private partnerships and contributions from businesses and communities to support sustainable development goals.

Municipal departments and agencies are required to regularly update relevant data and improve the connectivity and use of administrative and specialised databases. Data used to assess progress toward sustainable development goals must be consistent, accurate, complete and comparable, the city said.

Local authorities must also review the implementation of relevant targets, coordinate with municipal departments to collect and verify data and promptly report difficulties and shortcomings, according to the directive.

The Hà Nội Department of Finance has been tasked with coordinating with the city's Statistics Office and relevant agencies to conduct a review of progress on sustainable development goals.

When preparing annual and five-year socio-economic development plans, the department will work with relevant agencies to integrate sustainable development goals, tasks and solutions while taking into account the city's capacity to mobilise and balance resources, municipal officials said.

The review is intended to improve the quality of economic growth, promote efficient resource use and manage environmental impacts, while strengthening the integration of economic, social and environmental objectives ahead of 2030.

Economy expands across key sectors

Workers at Minh Tam Production and Service Trading Co in Hà Nội.

Hà Nội's economy expanded across key sectors in the first eight months of 2026, with industrial production, consumer spending and foreign investment all recording growth, according to city data.

The capital's Industrial Production Index posted strong growth from January to August, with manufacturing, a key contributor to the economy, expanding by more than 9 per cent. High-tech and modern manufacturing industries recorded double-digit growth, including electronics and computers, optical products, metal production, beverages and transportation equipment.

Retail sales and consumer services also maintained growth momentum. Total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue reached an estimated VNĐ708.2 trillion (US$27.3 billion) in the first eight months, up 15 per cent from the same period a year earlier.

The city's foreign investment reached over $3.7 billion in the first eight months, equivalent to 83 per cent of its target for the full year.

The results come amid continued volatility in the global economy and reflect growth across manufacturing, trade, services, transport, tourism, investment and financial activities, according to the city's assessment.

Under its 100-year master plan, Hà Nội aims to maintain annual gross regional domestic product growth of 11 per cent from 2026 to 2035 and through 2045, before targeting growth of 5 per cent in 2046-2065 and 4.5 per cent in 2066-2085.

The city has identified science, technology, innovation and knowledge-based development as key drivers for achieving its long-term growth targets. — VNS