Ecobiz.asia — Indonesia has inaugurated the Secretariat Office of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control in Jakarta, marking a step to enhance regional coordination in addressing transboundary haze across Southeast Asia.
The office was officially opened by Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq on Wednesday (April 22, 2026) at the ministry’s headquarters in East Jakarta, reinforcing Indonesia’s role as host of the regional coordination center.
Hanif said the establishment of the secretariat reflects ASEAN’s collective commitment to strengthening joint responses to haze pollution, a recurring regional challenge linked to forest and land fires.
“This is a symbol of ASEAN countries’ shared determination to achieve a haze-free region through stronger cooperation and faster response,” he said.
The ACC THPC operates under the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution and serves as a regional command center for managing forest and land fires with cross-border impacts.
The center is designed to perform three core functions: monitoring and assessment through real-time hotspot and air quality data; technical coordination among member states, including the exchange of expertise and firefighting technologies; and early warning systems to prevent fire escalation during the dry season.
The Jakarta-based secretariat is expected to improve data integration and accelerate response coordination between ASEAN member states and national agencies, including Indonesia’s environmental, disaster management, and forestry authorities.
Indonesia reiterated its commitment to reducing forest and land fires through stronger prevention, suppression, law enforcement, and ecosystem restoration efforts, while positioning itself as a key regional player in tackling transboundary haze. ***
