Bernama 29 Jul 10;
KUCHING, July 29 (Bernama) -- There has been a drastic drop in the number of hot spots detected, particularly in Indonesia, since the severe haze in 2006, which led to the forming of the Ministerial Steering Committee (MSC) on transboundary haze pollution.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah said several innovative actions were taken, including the formulation and implementation of Indonesia's Plan of Action (PoA).
He said Indonesia's collaboration with Malaysia and Singapore in the provinces of Riau and Jambi had also been successfully implemented to put the fire and haze situation under control.
"The (environment) ministers expressed appreciation of Indonesia for its enhanced and new efforts in implementing its PoA to deal with transboundary haze pollution.
"This includes revising targets of hot spot reduction by 20 per cent annually based on the 2006 data beginning this year and directing local governments to stay alert for any escalation of hot spots," he told a news conference after chairing the 10th meeting of the Sub-Regional MSC on Tansboundary Haze Pollution, here Thursday.
Also present were the environment ministers of Indonesia Prof Dr Gusti Muhammad Hatta, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim (Singapore) and Dato' Seri Setia Awang Suyoi Osman (Brunei), Thailand's Environment deputy permanent secretary Siripong Hangsapreuk and Asean deputy secretary-general Datuk Misran Karmain.
Uggah said the cumulative daily hot spot counts for Kalimantan had decreased to 728 as at July 24, this year from 17,045 in 2006, while for Sumatra the figure was reduced to 1,135 from 12,014 during the same period.
During that period, the Indonesian authorities also provided new fire suppression equipment for the Manggala Agni Brigade, especially in eight fire-prone provinces in Sumatra and Kalimantan, he said.
For Sabah and Sarawak, he said, there was also a downward trend from a cumulative daily hot spot counts of 1,147 in 2006 to 675 so far this year, although in the peninsula the detection of hot spots had increased from 299 in 2006 to 705 at present.
On the meeting, Uggah said the MSC countries agreed to remain vigilant for any possible occurrence of fire during the dry spell in the coming months, especially as traditional land clearing and replanting normally occurred during this period, which might lead to escalation of fires.
"The ministers noted that based on the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) forecast, the dry weather condition is expected in August and September this year," he said, adding that normal to above normal rainfall was expected because of the high likelihood of La Nina during that period.
Uggah said all relevant agencies in the Asean member countries were also encouraged to collaborate with SMC to adopt the Fire Danger Rating System - which provided assessment of ignition potential, occurrence and spread of fires based on the weather, fuel and soil conditions - to complement the monitoring of weather and hot spots in the region.
Singapore will assume the chairmanship of MSC for the next two years, with the next meeting scheduled to be held in the island republic in February next year.
-- BERNAMA
Regional ministers agree to be vigilant on haze pollution
Channel NewsAsia 30 Jul 10;
KUCHING, Sarawak - Environment ministers from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and representatives from Thailand and the ASEAN Secretariat have agreed to remain vigilant for possible occurrence of fires during the dry spell in the coming months.
They noted that traditional land clearing and replanting normally occur during this period, which may lead to escalation of fires during extended dry periods.
The ministers said there has been a drastic drop in the number of hot spots detected, particularly in Indonesia, since the severe haze in 2006 which led to the formation of the Ministerial Steering Committee (MSC) on Transboundary Haze Pollution.
Several innovative actions were taken, including the formulation and implementation of Indonesia's Plan of Action (PoA).
They said Indonesia's collaboration with Malaysia and Singapore in the provinces of Riau and Jambi had also been successfully implemented, putting the fire and haze situation under control.
The ministers expressed appreciation to Indonesia for its enhanced and new efforts in implementing its PoA to deal with haze pollution.
These included revising targets of hot spot reduction by 20 per cent annually based on the 2006 data, beginning this year, and directing local governments to stay alert for any escalation of hot spots.
On Thursday, the ministers agreed to undertake a strategic review of the MSC framework and its activities with a view to further improve the mechanism and to draw out successful lessons that could be shared with other sub-regions and ASEAN in general.
They also noted it is possible to provide early warning of fire danger rating if there is a reliable forecast of the weather and wind conditions.
They agreed to encourage and support the further development and refinement of the Fire Danger Rating System (FDRS) which provides assessment of ignition potential, occurrence and spread of fires based on the weather, fuel and soil conditions.
Present at the meeting were Malaysia's Natural Resources and Environment Minister Douglas Uggah; Indonesia's Prof Dr Gusti Muhammad Hatta, Singapore's Dr Yaacob Ibrahim; Brunei's Awang Suyoi Osman; Thailand's Environment deputy permanent secretary Siripong Hangsapreuk and ASEAN deputy secretary-general Misran Karmain.
Singapore will assume the chairmanship of MSC for the next two years, with the next meeting scheduled to be held in the island state in February next year.
- CNA/al
Government renews effort to ratify ASEAN haze treaty
Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post 29 Jul 10;
The government will for the second time push the House of Representatives to endorse the ASEAN agreement on haze pollution, an official said on Thursday.
Indonesia is the only country in Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) that had not endorsed the agreement aimed to cut forest fires and combat haze pollution.
“From the government side, there has been agreement to ratify it,” Environmental Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta told The Jakarta Post from Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.
“But, it might still take time because it depends on the process in the House.”
Gusti was in Kuching, Malaysia, on Thursday to attend a two-day ministerial meeting on haze to converse actions on expected land and forest fires on upcoming dry season
Sarawak happy with action on transboundry haze
Saiful Bahari The Borneo Post 31 Jul 10;
KUCHING: The state government is happy with proactive steps by members of the Technical Working Group (TWG) and Asean Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee (MSC), especially Indonesia, on transboundry haze pollution.
Stating this during the dinner for the 10th meeting of the Sub-regional Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundry Haze Pollution, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hing Nam said the on-going bilateral cooperation between Malaysia and Indonesia in the Riau province had yielded positive results.
“Apart from the Riau province, the on-going cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore in Jambi province has also turned in positive results,” said Dr Chan to delegates from Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.
He suggested the authorities in Borneo collaborate to help solve the haze problem on the island.
“I would like to suggest that we also initiate bilateral cooperation between Kalimantan, Sarawak and Sabah to address this annual problem,” he said, indicating that collaboration is vital to keep the momentum of regional efforts on-going.
Dr Chan added that the threats brought about by global warming needed to be dealt with seriously as they have the potential to change everyone’s lives and also the environment.
“Huge social, political, and economic issues will arise if we don’t do something to stop the skyrocketing rise of the temperatures and environmental pollution. We need to act,” he said, adding that everybody had to give utmost priority to sustainable development with minimal degradation.
On the state’s development policies, Dr Chan said Sarawak is embarking on prudent and judicious development to uplift and enhance the socioeconomic status of the people.
“One of the main thrusts is the development of its vast underutilised native customary land and state land for oil palm and planted forests, while at the same time (we are) committed to ensure sufficient biosphere such as national parks, nature reserves, water catchment and other totally protected areas.”
Dr Chan said the state also recognises that environmental protection agenda is important to ensure that development will not cause irreversible damage to the environment.
“Among the steps taken by the state government were the enactment of the Natural Resources and Environment Ordinance in 1993 and the establishment of the Natural Resources of Environment Board (NREB) in 1994,” he said, describing the effort as testament of the country and state’s initiative to protect the environment.
Among those present during the dinner were Brunei’s Minister of Development Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Datuk Seri Setia Awang Suyoi Osman, Singapore’s Minister of the Environment and Water Resource Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dato Sri Douglas Uggah Embas as well as Minister of Environment and Public Health Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.
