About

Under the framework of the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP), the ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy 2006-2020 (APMS) and the ASEAN Programme on Sustainable Management of Peatland Ecosystems 2014-2020 (APSMPE), the ASEAN Secretariat, with the support from the European Union (EU), Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), is implementing peatland projects namely the Measurable Action for Haze-Free Southeast Asia (MAHFSA) Programme, The Sustainable Use of Peatland and Haze Mitigation in ASEAN (SUPA) and complemented by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded Project, the Sustainable Management of Peatland Ecosystems in Mekong Countries (Mekong Peatlands Project) implemented by IUCN. All these programmes are aiming to assist the ASEAN Member States (AMS) to implement the above regional policies.

MAHFSA Programme is a joint initiative between the ASEC and IFAD, supported by the Global Environment Centre (GEC) and the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), aims to reduce transboundary haze pollution and its impacts, promoting sustainable forest management and peatland conservation in Southeast Asia. MAHFSA consists of three interrelated components: 1) Enhancement of data, information, and results management system and operational capacity; 2) Data, information and results analysis for strategic knowledge product development; and 3) Enhancement of regional coordination mechanisms. The implementation of the MAHFSA Program consists of several activities, from generating knowledge products, developing, and implementing communication and engagement strategies, and developing and implementing an investment framework.

SUPA is a regional programme co-financed by the BMUV and EU with aims to assist AMS with implementing the APSMPE to promote the sustainable management of peatlands in the ASEAN region through collective actions, enhance cooperation, support and sustain local livelihoods, and reduce fire risk haze and contribute to global environmental management. The EU’s support to ASEAN’s sustainable peatland management is composed of two mutually reinforcing main components, namely governmental approach and non-state actor approach. The governmental approach is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) while the non-state actor approach is implemented by World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia in collaboration with Tropical Rainforest Conservation & Research Centre (TRCRC) Malaysia and the IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative (YIDH). The two components will work collaboratively to support ASEAN in addressing the root causes of forest fires.

Mekong Peatlands Project is a GEF-6 funded project implemented in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as the implementing agency will manage and provide execution of the project’s components. The objective of the project is to sustainably manage peatland ecosystems in targeted countries conserve biodiversity, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by assessing and documenting peatland ecosystems in the three countries; strengthening institutional capacity and enabling policy and legal frameworks for sustainable peatland management at local, national and sub-regional levels; and demonstrating sustainable peatland management practices that conserve biodiversity, reduce GHG emissions and strengthen sustainable livelihoods for local communities. At a regional level, the project aims to bring together key government officials and decision makers at ASEAN level forums to enhance regional cooperation, share knowledge and experience, and encourage the development of common guidelines and approaches for the conservation and sustainable use of peatland resources.

Within the scope of these programmes, there is a particular focus on strengthening the data, information, and knowledge management on the sustainable management of peatlands and haze-free land management in the ASEAN region. Development of systematic data – information – knowledge collection, management, and analysis through complementarities of all the programmes will advance the vision of haze-free and sustainable peatland management in the region. The MAHFSA, SUPA, and Mekong Peatland Programme implementation consists of several activities, from assessing and documenting peatland; generating knowledge products; developing and implementing communication; implementing communication engagement strategies and capacity building; strengthening regional coordination; and developing an investment framework. In addition, an online platform/repository named ASEAN Haze Portal will serve as the ASEAN knowledge management platform on sustainable peatland and haze management. The platform will facilitate networking and knowledge-sharing among policymakers (e.g., ASEAN Task Force on Peatlands [ATFP]) and other relevant practitioners in Southeast Asia (e.g., Community of Practice on peatland and haze management).

The ASEAN Haze Portal is developed and maintained regularly by the Environment Division of the ASEAN Secretariat.