In 2002, in Kuala Lumpur, every ASEAN member country agreed to sign the AATHP, which entered into force as of November 25, 2003. Indonesia, however, had not signed the agreement.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has finally ratified the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) on Tuesday.
"The ratification of the AATHP is the right step taken by Indonesia to demonstrate its seriousness in overcoming transboundary haze caused by land and forest fires," environment minister Balthasar Kambuaya stated.
The ratification was done following a discussion by a plenary session of the House of Representatives attended by parliamentary members and leadership, as well as ministers of environment, foreign affairs, justice, and human rights.
The decision of the plenary session marked the beginning of a new stage in the Indonesian leadership for the prevention and control of land or forest fires at the ASEAN regional level.
Land and forest fires have caused haze pollution detrimental to human health, as well as environment, ecosystem, and transportation.
In the large land and forest fires in 1997, smoke pollution had affected several ASEAN member countries, thus making it one of the agenda for discussion at an ASEAN informal senior official meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
In 2002, in Kuala Lumpur, every ASEAN member country agreed to sign the AATHP, which entered into force as of November 25, 2003. Indonesia, however, had not signed the agreement.
Balthasar stated that so far the Indonesian government had conducted a series of activities to prevent and overcome land or forest fires, and these had been appreciated at various ASEAN forums, especially from 2003 to 2014.
"This momentum is very important because Indonesia is one of the countries that had not ratified the AAHTP," he added.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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