00:00Singapore will push to establish a regional haze control centre when it chairs ASEAN in 2027.
00:07Environment Minister Grace Fu says this centre, which will be based in Indonesia,
00:11will strengthen cooperation and coordination in managing land and forest fires as well as cross-border haze.
00:20Fu was speaking in Parliament, responding to questions from lawmakers on how transboundary haze was being tackled at the ASEAN
00:27level.
00:28Plans for the centre were set out in the 2002 ASEAN Agreement on transboundary haze pollution.
00:34But at least six ASEAN member states must ratify the establishment agreement of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze
00:42Pollution Control for it to be set up.
00:45Fu said Singapore would do so in the next few days and encourage other members to follow.
00:50She added that Singapore will work with other member states to tackle the root causes of transboundary haze,
00:56such as peatland management and crop burning guidelines.
01:00Monsoon rains and shifting winds have helped ease the haze across the region.
01:04But the relief may be short-lived as peat fires in Indonesia can keep smouldering underground.
