Transboundary haze pollution has plagued the ASEAN region for nearly three decades, causing widespread environmental, economic, and health issues. Resulting primarily from fires that devastate forest and peatland ecosystems, haze pollution also represents a major source of greenhouse gas emissions in Southeast Asia. Recent review of both ASEAN’s strategic initiatives to address the haze namely ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy (APMS) 2006-2020 and the ASEAN Haze-Free Roadmap 2016-2020, reveal that limited resource accessibility significantly hinders effective implementation, particularly at the national and local levels. Recognizing the need for sustainable land management practices, ASEAN introduced the ASEAN Investment Framework for Haze-Free Sustainable Land Management (AIF-HFSLM). Endorsed in August 2023, the Framework encourages partnerships across multiple levels and targets mobilizing USD 1.5 billion by 2030. Designed to support the ASEAN Haze-Free Roadmap 2023-2030, the Framework adopts a bottom-up approach to resource mobilization and promotes alternatives to large-scale burning to prevent transboundary smoke haze.
View source
