Is Singapore prepared for the haze season?

SINGAPORE: In recent weeks, there have been murmurs about the prospect of seasonal haze arising from forest fires and clearing of land, primarily in Indonesia.

The Singapore Institute of International Affairs forecast in June a high likelihood of severe haze in the coming months. Minister for Sustainability and Environment Grace Fu said on Jul 5 that this year’s dry season is expected to be the hottest and driest since 2019.

It is bad news whenever the El Nino phenomenon, which entails lower-than-average rainfall and soaring temperatures across Southeast Asia, combines with slash-and-burn agriculture in the region.

Southeast Asia’s transboundary haze has been a perennial issue since the 1970s, with particularly severe episodes costing affected countries billions of dollars. The world is also not spared as forest fires result in substantive carbon emissions, exacerbating climate change.

Read more: Source: CNA