Let Paris climate accord inspire action to fight haze in Southeast Asia

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Thick smoke rises as a fire burns in a forest in Indonesia's South Sumatra province in October last year. Photo:Reuters

Published: 5:05pm, 1 Jan 2016Updated: 12:47pm, 15 Oct 2020

Should some Southeast Asian polluters be allowed to continue to destroy human health, the economy and the forests? There is now a glimmer of hope for our future generations.

Congratulations to the leaders of 195 nations who have finally reached accord in Paris on a concerted effort to limit climate change by reducing heat-trapping man-made greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, common sense and the protection of our environment have prevailed – no mean feat in the world of convoluted politics and narrow national interests.

With the example of the world before us, now is the time to stop for all time the annual, debilitating, health-threatening haze from the wanton burning of the tropical rainforests in our region. People in Sarawak have suffered this for years. Last year, the haze reached Singapore and mainland Malaysia on an unprecedented scale, and also Thailand. The source? Mainly from Kalimantan and Sumatra in Indonesia.

Whilst we understand the niceties of our international relationships, at the height of the deadly haze, it was pointed out that the widespread burning of rainforest was an intentional illegal act adopted as a cheap way of clearing tropical rainforests, mainly for planting oil palm trees.

Now that the 2015 haze has finally cleared, and disappeared from the headlines, if past years are any guide the issue will fade from the public view and face inaction until it reappears once again in 2016. This must not ever be allowed to happen. If we have the will and the determination, we can stop it.

The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris recognises the need for international action to prevent global warning caused by we humans.

Let Paris climate accord inspire action to fight haze in Southeast Asia

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