Thailand has agreed with the establishment of the centre and is proceeding with documents for further endorsement, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
Environment ministers from Asean countries as well as top officials concerned attended COP19 (The 19th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution) held yesterday in Bangkok to move relevant agendas forward.
Chaired by Thailand’s Vice Environment Minister Narapat Kaeothong, the meeting was urged to expedite the signing to establish the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control (ACC THPC) to complete “the full establishment and operationalisation” of the centre, planned in Indonesia to facilitate the implementation of the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP), in a bid to address transboundary haze pollution in the region more effectively and timely, according to the ASEAN Secretariat.
The agreement is a sole legally binding agreement between ASEAN member states to reduce haze pollution. It was introduced following the 1997 haze crisis resulting from a large-scale burning of palm oil plantations in Indonesia that had hit Singapore and other mainland SE Asia countries hard. The agreement was adopted in 2002 and unanimously ratified in 2015.
Over the years, the agreement has been implemented through the organisation’s meetings and initiatives including the roapmaps on ASEAN Cooperation towards Transboundary Haze Pollution Control (Haze-Free Roadmap), first adopted in 2016 and now being renewed (2023-2030) with the new vision to reach a haze-free status in 2030. The coordinating centre, however, is being prepared for the full establishment and operationalisation.
As noted by the secretariat, the agreement has achieved success to some extent but the challenges also remain. These include the relatively low reduction of hotspots especially in the northern part of the region, which has seen little improvement, the continuity of land and forest burning in some countries despite the zero burning policy addressed under the agreement, and the working culture among the member states, which rather respects the sovereignty of the country members first and foremost.
As noted in the meeting, hotspot count over the Mekong sub-region this year was elevated during its traditional dry season between December 2023 and May 2024, and the situation escalated in March with Alert Level 3 issued on March 6, with widespread transboundary haze affecting many parts of the sub-region. Overall, hotspot count for the sub-region remained high in the last five years although this was 12.5% lower this year as compared to 2023, according to the assessment by ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC).
The ASMC also noted that Alert Level 1 on July 17 was also issued for the start of dry season of the southern ASEAN region. While the overall hotspot count over the southern ASEAN region was relatively high compared to the last five years, it was 44.3% lower this year compared to 2023.
The meeting noted that La Niña conditions are expected to become established in December and then persist until at least early 2025. Over the southern ASEAN region, the hotspot and smoke haze situation is likely to remain suppressed under its traditional wet season. However, some increase in hotspot activity may occur over the region during the dry phase of the Northeast Monsoon, typically around late January-February 2025.
“While La Nina is expected in the coming dry seasons, the meeting agreed on the importance of taking strong action to improve vigilance, preventive measures, and immediate fire suppression procedures to mitigate land and forest fires and to minimise the occurrence of transboundary haze during periods of drier weather,” noted the meeting.
The meeting also noted on the reports by the sub-regional ministerial steering committees on Transboundary Haze Pollution (MSC) and on Transboundary Haze Pollution in the Mekong Sub-Region (MSC Mekong) in reaffirming their commitment to address specific haze-related issues occurring in the respective regions.
According to the PCD, Thailand presented in the meeting its success in suppressing hotspots and PM2.5 haze this year. The country’ hotspots were reduced by 21% and the haze 13% compared to last year. Along with other Mekong countries, it also presented the new target discussed among the countries so that it will be in line with the region’s roadmap. Late last year, Thailand and other Mekong countries announced the Clear Sky Strategy as well as the action plan to address the problem together. Their plan was adopted in late August.
The meeting also noted on the good progress in the implementation of the second roadmap, the establishment of an ad-hoc taskforce of the the ASEAN Investment Framework, the second ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy (APMS), the frameworks in further strengthening and comprehensively addressing the root causes of transboundary haze pollution, and the development of the ASEAN guideline on burned area to enhance the capacity of the member states to map and mitigate wildfire impacts effectively.
“The meeting emphasised the importance of building stronger cooperation to advance the implementation of the second roadmap and APMS.
“The meeting recognised the ASEAN member states’ significant efforts and active roles in strengthening capabilities and aligning national policies with the regional priorities in assessment, prevention, mitigation and management of land and forest fires and the resulting haze,” noted the meeting.
The next COP, COP20, will be held in Malaysia.
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