Indonesia has pledged to work with other ASEAN countries to tackle widespread fires and transboundary haze.
The government says it has remained in regular contact with neighboring countries through the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. The framework supports regional efforts to manage fires and deal with the haze they cause.
The ASEAN Secretariat declared a level-three haze alert on August 26. It is the highest level under the regional monitoring system.
The alert signals extreme fires and unhealthy air. It also highlights the risks that worsening conditions pose to public health and the environment. Member states are required to submit daily reports to the ASEAN Secretariat.
Indonesia says it has been providing information on hots pots and environmental conditions. Its reports also include indications of where the haze is moving.
Pressure on Jakarta has grown as smoke has spread across the region. Kuching, the capital of Malaysia’s Sarawak state, was recently named the world’s most polluted major city by IQAir.
Singapore and the Philippines have also been affected. Both countries issued health advisories as air quality worsened.
Protests have also been held outside the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Activists called for greater transparency and corporate accountability.
They want Indonesia to publicly identify companies holding concessions linked to wildfires. Nearly 70,000 hectares of burned forest and peat land between January and July were located within industrial concessions, according to Nusantara Atlas data cited in the report.
More than 200,000 hectares of land in Indonesia have burned since the start of the year.
