Cloaked in grey: The causes and effects of haze in Singapore
The Straits Times clears the air on how the haze situation escalated and how Singapore and the region are responding.
Singapore is grappling with its most severe transboundary haze crisis in over a decade. The Republic should prepare for continued hazy conditions, with air quality potentially reaching hazardous levels, according to Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu. The source of the haze is the fires raging in Indonesia's forest and plantation land, primarily due to slash-and-burn agricultural practices.
Although illegal, farmers continue this practice due to its lower cost compared to using excavators. The worsening situation can be attributed to three factors: the region's annual dry season, prolonged by the El Nino phenomenon, and strong winds blowing smoke from Indonesia to Singapore and Malaysia. Indonesia's extensive tropical peatlands, crucial carbon sinks, are being drained and converted into plantations, releasing trapped carbon when dry peat catches fire.
The smoke remains for months until the rainy monsoon season arrives in November. Health impacts are evident, with an increase in clinic visits for haze-related ailments, overlapping with Influenza A season. The government has introduced a Haze Subsidy Scheme to mitigate financial burdens on affected individuals. Airlines have faced delays and diversions due to low visibility, while Indonesia struggles to control the fires and protect affected communities.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
