A Stronger ASEAN Response to Potential Transboundary Haze Event in the wake of Pandemics

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has been changing the world, creating enormous impacts on communities in urban and rural areas. From immediate response to contain the spread of the virus and efforts to strengthen health systems, the discussion on the pandemic has shifted to possible impacts to other sectors outside of the health systems and innovative ways of adapting to the “New Normal”. The notion that the COVID-19 pandemic has been good for the environment due to air quality improvements may be temporary. With lockdown easing, there is risk of more pollution and worsen climate change as the economy recovers. In the context of land and forest fires and the wake of the pandemic, calls for increased concerted effort and preparedness of authorities, communities and private sector in preventing haze events that would exacerbate the health of COVID-19 infected patients are being emphasised.

Despite restrictions on movements in most of the ASEAN region amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the ASEAN Secretariat with support from the IFAD-funded Measurable Action for Haze-Free Sustainable Land Management in Southeast Asia (MAHFSA) Programme, continue to engage relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies and the general public in its agenda to increase awareness and preparedness on transboundary haze events within and across sectors and disciplines through online platforms.

In line with the SOCA-endorsed Webinar Series on the Impacts of COVID-19 on ASCC Sectors and Post-COVID19 Strategies, aimed to unpack the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations, and taking into consideration the upcoming dry season in the southern ASEAN region (estimated to peak in August – September 2020); the ASEAN Secretariat, in partnership with the MAHFSA Programme, will host a webinar via Zoom entitled “A stronger ASEAN response to potential transboundary haze event in the wake of pandemics” which will be held on 4 August 2020 at 09:00 A.M. – 11:30 A.M. (GMT+7).

Documents:

Press release:

ASEAN responds to potential transboundary haze events in wake of pandemic

For more information:
Mrs. Etwin Kuslati Sabarini at etwin.sabarini@asean.org

4 August 2020

Opening Remarks

Speakers

Kung Phoak

Deputy Secretary-General (DSG) of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC)

Srey Sunleang

Chairperson of the Committee under the Conference of the Parties to the AATHP (COM), Cambodia

Ivan Cossio Cortez

Country Director, South East Asia and the Pacific Sub-regional Office, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

TIME

09:00-09:10

TIME ZONE

GMT+7

ROOM

Online

Impact of the pandemic situation on ASEAN response to potential fire and haze event

Speaker

Ravi Prabhu

Director, Innovation and Impact, CIFOR-ICRAF

TIME

09:10-09:40

TIME ZONE

GMT+7

ROOM

Online

Weather and haze outlook for the second half of 2020

Speaker

Raizan Rahmat

Deputy Principal Research Scientist, ASEAN Specialiased Meteorological Centre (ASMC)

Exacerbated impacts and potential risk of haze events in the midst of the COVID-19: Lessons from the 2020 Mekong dry season and 2019 Australia bushfire crisis

Speakers

Siwaporn Rungsiyanon

Director, Transboundary Air Pollution, Pollution Control Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand

Brian Foo

Director, Australian Government Crisis Coordination Centre Operations Crisis and Security Management Branch, Emergency Management Australia (EMA), Department of Home Affairs