Written Answer to Unanswered Oral Question

Plans to Mitigate Risk of Severe Transboundary Haze

12 September 2022 · Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment

Speakers

Grace Fu Hai Yien (Minister for Sustainability and the Environment) Ng Ling Ling

Summary

This question concerns Ms Ng Ling Ling’s inquiry regarding strategies to mitigate transboundary haze risks and regional cooperation efforts toward a haze-free ASEAN. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien responded that the National Environment Agency and the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre provide regular monitoring, satellite imagery, and early warnings to regional partners. Singapore has formally extended fire-fighting assistance to Indonesia to address hotspots at the source and has maintained this offer annually since 2005. Furthermore, the Minister noted that Singapore will host the 17th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. This chairmanship will be used to strengthen regional commitment and drive active progress toward the vision of a haze-free ASEAN.

Transcript

47 Ms Ng Ling Ling asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment given the Singapore Institute of International Affairs’ Haze Outlook report dated 15 June 2022, assessing that there is a medium risk of severe transboundary haze this year (a) what will the Ministry do to mitigate the risk of severe transboundary haze; and (b) how does it intend to continue working with its regional counterparts to realise the vision of a haze-free ASEAN.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and the National Environment Agency (NEA) closely monitor the risk of transboundary haze and take active steps to avoid and mitigate the occurrence of haze.

The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC), which is hosted by NEA’s Meteorological Service Singapore, regularly disseminates its weather and haze outlook, as well as satellite imagery and fire hotspots information, to ASEAN Member States. ASMC also provides early warning of transboundary haze, which serves to alert our neighbouring countries to take active steps to address the problem of transboundary haze at source.

We have also formally extended an offer of fire-fighting assistance to Indonesia in June 2022 to augment Indonesia’s efforts to address hotspots and fires during the traditional southern ASEAN dry season. We have continually made this offer since 2005.

This year, Singapore will host the 17th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. We will be using our chairmanship to strengthen regional commitment and take active steps towards the vision of a haze-free ASEAN.