Fires across seven provinces on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra have been burning for weeks. Dry weather and drought linked to a “Super El Niño” are making it harder to contain the fires, which occur seasonally in the country often when farmers and corporations burn away vegetation to clear land. From January to July, fires ravaged 202,000 hectares of land, according to government data. In August alone, fires scorched 600,000 hectares of land in August alone, according to environmental group YKAN.
Indonesian authorities warned that the wildfires could continue through October or early November due to a forecasted late rainy season. The government urged farmers and corporations not to use fire to clear the land, which is broadly against the law. As of Sept. 4, Indonesian police were investigating 112 people suspected of deliberately or accidentally starting fires, and five companies had their licenses suspended over alleged fires. President Prabowo Subianto called for tougher penalties and ordered local governments to abolish exemptions that allowed smallholders to clear small areas of land by burning.
Here’s what to know about the haze crisis hitting Southeast Asia.
Short-term exposure to haze can cause burning eyes, a scratchy throat, a runny nose, coughing, headaches, and fatigue. It can also trigger inflammation, aggravate asthma, and place additional strain on the heart. Long-term exposure to PM2.5 pollution is associated with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, lung cancer, and premature death. The effects of repeated exposure to haze are still being studied.
In Indonesia, the hazardous air quality has caused a spike in respiratory infections, with 113,336 cases recorded across seven provinces on Sept. 9, according to Health Ministry data. That’s double the number of cases recorded a week earlier. Children aged five and younger made up nearly a quarter of the cases.
Environmental and health agencies recommend limiting outdoor exertion, closing windows, using an air filter at home, and wearing an N95 mask outside.
Birds are also especially vulnerable to the haze, according to Francis. Their respiratory systems are more efficient, which also makes them more vulnerable to smoke and aerosols.
Transboundary haze a persistent problem
The problem has been documented since 1972, and it intensified during the 1980s and 1990s as commercial logging, palm oil cultivation, and peatland drainage expanded in Indonesia. The 1997-98 crisis, amplified by a powerful El Niño, caused more than $9 billion in economic, social, and environmental losses across the region.
The haze improved in recent years with wetter conditions and efforts to restore and rewet damaged peatlands. Regional cooperation and stronger domestic policies in Indonesia have also improved monitoring and accountability for companies that contribute to haze. But enforcement efforts remain uneven, and year-to-year conditions depend heavily on climate patterns.
Malaysia recorded unhealthy air quality levels in 40 out of 68 areas of the country on Wednesday. Earlier this month, authorities declared a state of emergency in parts of Sarawak in the Malaysian part of Borneo. Authorities also closed 647 schools across 12 districts of the state, moving nearly 200,000 students to home-based learning.
In Brunei, air quality hit unhealthy ranges in all four districts earlier this month.
Super El Niño could lead to food insecurity, civil unrest
The world is facing a so-called “Super El Niño” this year. It is a severe version of the natural climate pattern that typically happens every two to seven years, when surface waters in the central and equatorial Pacific Ocean become warmer than usual.
Even though Indonesian authorities say most fires are ignited by people, the “Super El Niño” is worsening fires by making the climate drier for longer. Drained peatlands are particularly vulnerable, as once dry peat catches fire, it can smolder underground for weeks, produce huge amounts of smoke, and reignite after flames at the surface appear extinguished. Without rain, fires also become harder to contain and airborne haze particles aren’t as easily washed out of the sky. Cloud-seeding operations are also less effective as there are fewer rainclouds.
The consultancy warned that heat waves and water stress are threatening harvests in Indonesia, which is the world’s biggest palm oil producer. Elsewhere in the region, irregular monsoon rainfall and dry conditions are threatening rice yields in India and sugar harvests in Thailand.
The consequences could be catastrophic for parts of Asia. The report said Afghanistan and Myanmar, already facing acute food crises after years of conflict, could be thrown deeper into humanitarian crises. Countries like India, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Indonesia could also face civil unrest stemming from economic pressures and food insecurity, the report said. Indonesia already experienced demonstrations over rising food and fuel prices and government corruption when students rallied in Jakarta and other cities in June and August.
“The data suggest,” the Verisk Maplecroft report said, “if food price and availability pressures intensify, and governments are seen to respond ineffectively, unrest and political instability could emerge in these higher-risk markets.”
Hence then, the article about why southeast asia is facing a haze crisis was published today ( ) and is available on Time ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Why Southeast Asia Is Facing a Haze Crisis )
Also on site :
- Bran Flakezz on Winning ‘Unwell Summer Games,’ His Future With Reality TV and the Alex Cooper-Alix Earle Drama
- Robert De Niro’s Best Movie According to Critics Is a Surprising 1985 Cult Classic With a Kate Bush Connection
- 1969 Johnny Cash and Linda Ronstadt’s Duet, Almost Canceled by June Carter Over a Wardrobe Crisis, Was Wildly Unexpected