Asean prepares for haze crisis

Hard to breathe: Buildings and the Jakarta city skyline shrouded in haze due to air pollution. — AFP

SOUTH-EAST Asian nations are gearing up to tackle the threat of a tougher-than-usual “haze” season together, as the El Nino climate phenomenon raises the risk of soaring temperatures.

Ministers and officials from the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) met in Singapore last month, where they vowed to ramp up monitoring of wildfires and efforts to prevent air pollution, and finalise a new plan to boost cooperation.