Fires: Stop blaming others, just start acting!<\/p>\n
Luca Tacconi, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR),
\nBogor<\/p>\n
Each year, from February to March and August to October, the
\nhaze that disrupts social and economic activities in Indonesia
\nalso brings with it conflicting accusations of blame. The game of
\nallocating blame for the fires that cause haze repeats itself as
\nregularly as the fires themselves.<\/p>\n
But it's time to stop blaming and start acting. Existing
\ntechnology makes the identification of the hot spots easy. The
\nBogor-based CIFOR has compared satellite information from the
\nU.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency with
\nIndonesian land-use maps. CIFOR's research clearly shows that
\nmore than three-quarters of the hot-spots recorded in West and
\nCentral Kalimantan in during August occurred in oil palm
\nplantations, timber plantations and forest concessions.<\/p>\n
So, what action is needed to address the fire problems?<\/p>\n
First, we need to recognize there are different types of fires
\nand that not all fires are problematic. There are fires that
\ngenerate significant amounts of haze and those that generate much
\nless.<\/p>\n
There are land-clearing fires lit on purpose for the
\nestablishment of plantations, which do not create significant
\nhaze if they are not on peat land. And there are fires burning
\nout of control in areas that are supposed to be maintained as
\nforests, such as those that occurred in East Kalimantan in
\n1997\/1998.<\/p>\n
These critical differences are not recognized in the
\nIndonesian legislation (Regulation 4\/2001) that forbids all
\nforest and land fires. The legislation should be reviewed so that
\nonly harmful and unwanted fires are banned. In this way, the
\nlimited resources available to prevent and suppress fires could
\nbe used to for the really problematic fires. Certainly, this is
\nnot a revolutionary recommendation. Malaysia and other countries
\nallow prescribed fires.<\/p>\n
Burning peat land contributed up to 90 percent of the smoke
\nhaze experienced during the catastrophic fires in 1997-1998. We
\nare seeing the same thing happening again in 2002. Over 75
\npercent of the hot spots identified on peat land in West and
\nCentral Kalimantan in August were on oil palm plantations,
\ntimber plantations and forest concessions.<\/p>\n
Media reports have regularly cited how the smoke haze is
\nparticularly affecting Pontianak. This is hardly surprising as
\nPontianak is almost surrounded by peat lands and oil palm and
\ntimber plantations. Just as the government has already legislated
\nagainst the development of lands with peat deeper than three
\nmeters, so should it legislate against the use of fires for land-
\nclearing on peat lands .<\/p>\n
But just changing the laws won't blow away the haze. The laws
\nneed to be enforced, and this is not occurring. This is not
\nbecause fires are difficult to monitor and police. The fires now
\noccurring in Indonesia are usually described as \"forest fires\",
\ngiving the impression they are burning in remote and inaccessible
\nareas. But this is not true. The fact that over 75 percent of the
\nhot spots identified on peat land in West and Central Kalimantan
\nwere on oil palm plantations, timber plantations and forest
\nconcessions means that there are roads to access the areas.
\nInspections by government officials and the collection of
\nevidence to prosecute those using fire illegally are viable.<\/p>\n
Once the law is revised, the government must take firm action
\nagainst companies that use fire illegally. This would show the
\ngovernment is serious in enforcing the legislation and in
\nimplementing the recently signed ASEAN (Association of Southeast
\nAsian Nations) Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. The
\ngovernment also needs to get tough with officials who seek to
\ngain by turning a blind eye to illegal burning activities.<\/p>\n
While at the moment it is clear that large companies are
\nmostly responsible for the fires and haze currently affecting the
\nregion, this does not necessarily mean large companies will
\nalways be the only ones responsible. The 1997-1998 experience
\nshows that at least in some areas such as South Sumatra and East
\nKalimantan, small-scale livelihood activities by villagers in
\npeat swamp areas were responsible for some of the haze-generating
\nfires.<\/p>\n
Dealing with these sources of ignition will be even more
\ncomplex than with those involving large companies. Small-scale
\nlivelihood activities by farmers and squatters are more disperse
\nthan those of companies, more difficult to monitor, and
\nlegislated changes to burning practices are virtually impossible
\nto enforce. In these cases, only community-based initiatives have
\nany likelihood of succeeding.<\/p>\n
So, what are the costs of inaction?<\/p>\n
According to a new CIFOR report funded by the European
\nCommission, smoke haze in 1997-1998 affected millions of people
\nand cost Indonesia and its neighbors around US $800 million.<\/p>\n
In addition to economic and social costs from smoke haze in
\n1997-1998, fires cost $2.5 billion to Indonesia, arising from
\nburnt timber and other losses. Of this, East Kalimantan suffered
\nlosses totaling $2 billion. The figure for this season is not
\nlikely to be as high. Nevertheless, the question remains, how
\nhigh must it be before the Indonesian government, industry, NGOs
\nand community groups begin working together to halt this
\nenvironmental, economic and social disaster?<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fires-stop-blaming-others-just-start-acting-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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