JAKARTA: The Sub-regional Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution (MSC) convened its 23rd meeting on Tuesday via video conference, reported Vietnam News Agency (VNA).
Under the chair of Malaysia’s Environment and Water Minister Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, the event brought together ministers and representatives responsible for the environment, land, forest fires and haze, from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, and the Secretary-General of ASEAN.
The meeting looked forward to the convening of the 17th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (COP-17) this October in Singapore.
It expressed appreciation and commended the various initiatives and actions by MSC countries on the implementation of the Strategic Review of the Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee Programmes and Activities.
The meeting also underscored the coordinated support of ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centres (ASMC) and relevant agencies in providing data and information relating to land and/or forest fires for ASEAN and ASEAN Member States.
It looked forward to further strengthening commitment and cooperation through the adoption of the new Roadmap and new ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy at the upcoming COP-17 to comprehensively address the root causes of transboundary haze pollution, and to augment the assessment, prevention, mitigation and management of land and/or forest fires through concerted national efforts and intensified regional and international cooperation.
It also stressed the need to pursue the finalisation of the Establishment Agreement and Host Country Agreement of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control (ACC THPC) in Indonesia. – BERNAMA
