The proposed ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control requires ratification from six member states to become fully operational, a step Singapore plans to complete within days. Beyond operational firefighting exchanges, the bloc plans to address the agricultural drivers of the smoke by tackling illegal land-clearing practices and setting crop burning standards. Minister Grace Fu also revealed that Indonesia recently declined a mid-October offer of civilian firefighting assistance and cloud seeding, affirming that it could manage the fires independently.
Key points
Singapore intends to leverage its 2027 ASEAN chairmanship to operationalize the regional…: Singapore intends to leverage its 2027 ASEAN chairmanship to operationalize the regional haze coordination hub.
Regional cooperation will target the systemic agricultural roots of pollution, including…: Regional cooperation will target the systemic agricultural roots of pollution, including unsustainable peatland management.
Singapore continues to respect the sovereignty of neighboring states regarding domestic f…: Singapore continues to respect the sovereignty of neighboring states regarding domestic firefighting needs and foreign assistance decisions.
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SINGAPORE - Singapore will during its 2027 ASEAN chairmanship work toward establishing a region-wide coordinating centre for transboundary haze pollution control, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu on Nov 3.
This centre, which will be based in Indonesia, will strengthen cooperation and coordination in managing land and forest fires and transboundary haze, she said in Parliament.
Singapore will also work with other countries in the region to enhance the implementation of initiatives that tackle the root causes of haze, such as sustainable land and peatland management, and guidelines on crop burning, added Fu.
Fu was responding to questions from several MPs, including Hazlina Abdul Halim (East Coast GRC) and Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC), on how transboundary haze was being tackled at the ASEAN level.
Such a centre, when established, will join other regional efforts to tackle the recurring pollution.
For instance, Singapore has been hosting a monitoring facility called the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre since 1993, which tracks hotspots in the region and provides early warning and alerts on haze.
Activists staged an unlicensed weekend operation from the vessel Arctic Sunrise to block bottom trawling across 116 square kilometres of the Southern North Sea Marine Protected Area. Campaigners cited years of sluggish regulatory talks as the catalyst for the direct action, which aims to protect seabed vegetation and local harbour porpoise populations. Maritime authorities responded by stressing that all marine activities must comply with legal safety standards.
Addressing concerns raised in Parliament on Nov 3, authorities confirmed that the existing dual framework of 24-hour pollutant forecasts and hourly readings remains sufficient for public guidance. Officials stressed that adding more metrics risks confusing citizens while offering less accurate predictive value. Broader domestic impacts remain well-managed, with stable food supplies and local businesses adapting through increased takeaway sales despite reduced physical footfall.
Environment Minister Grace Fu announced that the city-state will target corporate polluters and support regional discussions to enforce a 2002 environmental treaty. Singapore plans to submit ratification documents soon to establish a joint coordination facility based in Indonesia. These regional initiatives focus on addressing root causes such as peatland degradation and agricultural crop burning.