{
  "id": 9218396,
  "title": "Beneath choking skies",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/beneath-choking-skies",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-22T22:56:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Jakarta Post",
    "slug": "the-jakarta-post",
    "url": "https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2026/09/23/beneath-choking-skies.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Suffocating haze blankets Southeast Asia as Indonesia battles raging forest and peatland fires. The devastating blaze has scorched nearly 900,000 hectares of land, surpassing the destruction seen during the 2019 and 2023 fire seasons. This ecological disaster not only threatens the health and livelihoods of millions in Indonesia but also impacts neighboring countries and global climate stability.\n\nIndonesia's carbon output from the fires is alarming, with an estimated 106 million tonnes of carbon dioxide released—a level equivalent to the annual emissions of about 103 coal-fired power plants. The fires, primarily affecting major Indonesian islands, contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions and jeopardize the nation's commitment to reducing its carbon footprint under the Paris Agreement. Indonesia's second NDC, submitted last year, aims to turn the Forestry and Other Land Use sector into a net carbon sink by 2030, but the current crisis may hinder progress towards this crucial goal.",
  "summary": "As toxic haze blankets Southeast Asia and millions of tonnes of CO2 enter the atmosphere, the country is running out of excuses to rein in corporate polluters and honor its climate promises.",
  "key_points": [
    "Suffocating haze blankets Southeast Asia",
    "Indonesia battles raging forest and peatland fires",
    "Fires release 106 million tonnes of carbon dioxide"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}