World · Singapore Bureau
Indonesia deploys 2,400kg dry ice in fresh bid to combat regional haze
Indonesian authorities have conducted cloud-seeding operations using dry ice in efforts to disperse smoke haze affecting the region. The measure underscores ongoing attempts to mitigate air quality deterioration across Southeast Asia.
LSN Singapore ·
Indonesia deployed approximately 2,400 kilograms of dry ice in atmospheric seeding operations aimed at dispersing haze blanketing parts of the region. The cloud-seeding initiative represents part of the country's broader strategy to address smoke pollution that periodically affects air quality across Southeast Asia, including in neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia.
Cloud seeding using dry ice works by introducing particles into the atmosphere to encourage precipitation and help break up haze layers. The technique has been employed periodically by Indonesian authorities during periods of severe air quality degradation, particularly during drought seasons when forest fires are more prevalent.
The operation reflects escalating efforts by regional governments to combat transboundary haze pollution. Air quality remains a persistent challenge during dry seasons, with emissions from forest fires and land clearing in Indonesia frequently drifting across maritime borders to affect Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei.
Indonesia has faced international pressure to strengthen enforcement of regulations governing land use and forest management to reduce the root causes of seasonal haze. While cloud-seeding provides short-term relief, environmental experts emphasize that long-term solutions require addressing underlying drivers of forest fires and peatland degradation in the region.
Photo: Haze from forest and land fires shrouds the Talawang Monument in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, 24 September 2026. ParadoxP P via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).