Here is Asean’s best shot at ending the haze

On September 4, the air pollutant index (API) in Serian, Sarawak, reached 521, a hazardous level above 300. In response, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong declared an emergency, closing 647 schools across 12 districts, impacting nearly 200,000 children. The emergency was lifted on September 7, only for the API to rise back to 302 the following morning.

Indonesian authorities claim that illegal land sales led to the fires, with 72 people arrested over 89 arson cases. Indonesian environmental group Walhi discovered that 74% of Kalimantan's hotspots were within corporate concessions. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim acknowledged responsibility if Malaysian companies were involved, but pledged not to defend them.

The health ministry's sentinel clinics recorded 61 asthma cases in the second week of August, soaring to 1,811 by the end of the month. The World Bank estimated Indonesia's 2015 fires cost US$16.1 billion, causing 6,150 to 17,270 premature deaths across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Ending the haze requires addressing multiple links in the chain.

First, make the match expensive by enforcing environmental fines and requiring listed planters to publish concession maps. Second, rewet the peat, which currently allows fires to smolder for months. Third, strengthen Asean's haze machinery by ratifying the Coordinating Centre in Jakarta and publishing daily hotspot-to-concession matches.

Lastly, protect children with filtered indoor air, such as installing HEPA filtration in schools and stockpiling N95 masks.