Bali (TDI): ASEAN environment ministers have warned that the risk of transboundary haze could worsen in the coming months after hotspot numbers across the southern ASEAN region surged by 86 percent during the first half of 2026 due to prolonged dry weather.
The warning was issued during the 27th Meeting of the Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution held in Bali, where ministers and senior officials from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Timor-Leste reviewed the regional situation.
According to the ASEAN Specialized Meteorological Centre, the sharp increase in hotspots was driven by below-normal rainfall in January, March and April. The centre also said El Niño conditions, which began in June, are expected to continue through the second half of 2026 and may intensify between August and September.
Ministers noted that a developing positive Indian Ocean Dipole could further reduce rainfall, increasing the risk of forest and peatland fires and cross-border haze across the region.
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The meeting reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to strengthening regional cooperation on fire prevention, preparedness and emergency response under the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution and the Haze-Free Roadmap.
Delegates also backed efforts to operationalize the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control, welcomed progress on its legal and operational framework, and urged member states to complete the required ratification process.
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The ministers endorsed new initiatives to promote sustainable land management, strengthen early warning systems, expand scientific cooperation and improve funding for regional haze prevention efforts. The next ASEAN haze meetings will be held in Vietnam in October 2026, while Malaysia will host the following ministerial meeting in 2027.
