JAKARTA – With the dry season this year expected to be more prolonged and intense under the La Niña phenomenon, Asean ministers stressed the importance of expediting the establishment of the Asean Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control in Indonesia.
The ministers and officials attending yesterday’s sub-regional ministerial steering committee meeting on transboundary haze pollution said in a statement that the centre will facilitate faster and effective implementation of all aspects of the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.
The meeting was attended by ministers and officials for the environment, land, forest fires, and haze from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, as well as the Asean secretariat’s deputy secretary-general.
Yesterday’s meeting also called for the resumption of talks on the host country agreement on the centre for a timely finalisation.
Based on current climate models, the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre forecasts a 70-80% chance for El Niño conditions to develop between this month and September and for a positive Indian Ocean Dipole to develop between this month and July.
“Both these climate phenomena would likely result in below-normal rainfall for many parts of the southern Asean region in the next few months,” the ministers said.
The countries also reaffirmed their readiness to provide firefighting assistance if requested and enhance coordination to mitigate land and forest fires when necessary. – Bernama, June 9, 2023
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