Indonesia Becomes ASEAN's Central Hub for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control through ACCTHPC

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq has inaugurated the office of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control (ACCTHPC) to affirm Indonesia’s commitment as the central hub for controlling haze pollution across Southeast Asia.

“In 2016, Indonesia was designated as the ACCTHPC, serving as the driving force for cross-border coordination and control. Then, in 2023, Indonesia ratified the agreement, and officially in 2023, ASEAN established the ACCTHPC in Indonesia. Today, protocols are being drafted so that each country will subsequently carry out ratification through regulations appropriate to their respective nations,” said Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The Environment Minister explained that the ACCTHPC is an initiative built by all ASEAN members in response to the increasingly large forest fires in 1997-1998. At that time, massive fires occurred, causing haze or smoke that disrupted all sectors.

Currently, he continued, Indonesia is drafting a presidential regulation (perpres) on the ratification of this cooperation through the ASEAN coordination centre, while also encouraging all ASEAN countries to implement haze control plans.

He emphasised that the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLH) will also announce to all ASEAN member countries present in Jakarta the results of today’s meeting for coordination purposes while awaiting the direct operationalisation of the office.

“ASEAN coordination is very important for handling the haze that occurs here, so that in the future, we will all mobilise all the instruments we have to jointly address it in the ASEAN region,” stated Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq.