Asean to address transboundary haze crisis ahead of regional summit

Malaysia has called for Asean to prioritise discussion on tackling transboundary haze ahead of the regional bloc's forthcoming summit, underscoring the urgent need for a coordinated approach to the recurring environmental crisis.

The proposal comes as Asean members grapple with the impacts of seasonal haze, which regularly engulfs large swathes of Southeast Asia and affects millions of people across the region. Malaysia has identified a significant institutional gap, noting that while Asean maintains established mechanisms to respond to other natural disasters—including floods and volcanic eruptions—no comparable framework currently exists to address transboundary smoke and haze pollution.

The absence of a dedicated protocol has hampered regional efforts to manage the problem, which often stems from land-clearing activities and agricultural burning in neighbouring countries. Previous haze episodes have triggered public health emergencies, disrupted air travel, and caused substantial economic losses across affected nations.

By raising the issue at the summit level, Malaysia is pushing for Asean to develop a formal mechanism similar to existing disaster-response frameworks. Such a structure could enable rapid information sharing, coordinated prevention efforts, and collective action to mitigate the transboundary impact of haze pollution.