ASEAN member states have been urged to strengthen regional cooperation and environmental enforcement to address transboundary haze pollution, which has exposed communities across Southeast Asia to unhealthy and hazardous air quality.
The Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) expresses its deep concern over forest and land fires affecting parts of the region, warning that prolonged exposure to hazardous air could undermine fundamental human rights.
It says the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) had activated Alert Level 3, the highest transboundary haze alert, since Aug 26.
Unhealthy to hazardous air quality has been recorded across several affected areas, posing health risks and disrupting education, livelihoods and daily activities.
AICHR says the impact was particularly severe for vulnerable groups, including children, older persons, pregnant women, persons with disabilities and those with chronic heart or lung conditions.
Ethnic groups, indigenous peoples and local communities could also face heightened exposure or greater difficulties accessing protection and essential services.
“This is not only an environmental or disaster management concern,” says the commission.
It stresses that prolonged exposure to hazardous air could affect the enjoyment of rights to health, an adequate standard of living and development, as recognised under the Asean Human Rights Declaration.
These rights are also reflected in two regional declarations adopted by Asean leaders in October 2025, including the Asean Declaration on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment.
Recognising the cross-border nature of haze pollution, AICHR calls for stronger information sharing, coordination and cooperation among member states under existing regional frameworks.
These include the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, signed in 2002 and in force since 2003, which provides the principal regional framework for preventing and mitigating haze.
AICHR also highlights the Second Roadmap on Asean Cooperation towards Transboundary Haze Pollution Control (2023-2030), which sets out nine strategies aimed at achieving a haze-free Asean by 2030.
It urges member states to fully implement these commitments and accelerate efforts to operationalise the Asean Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control.
The commission also emphasises the importance of providing timely and accessible air quality information, health advisories and hotspot data to affected communities.
It encourages governments to involve local communities and other stakeholders in developing and monitoring haze prevention measures, while promoting access to justice for environmental harm in accordance with national laws.
On enforcement, AICHR calls for stronger implementation of environmental laws and policies addressing activities contributing to agricultural land, peatland and forest fires.
It also urges businesses to adopt responsible environmental practices, including environmental due diligence and sustainable supply chain management.
The commission notes that climate change could increase the risk of drier conditions and fires in parts of the region, underscoring the need for climate-informed fire prevention and sustainable peatland management.
AICHR says it is developing a regional action plan to implement the Asean Declaration on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment in consultation with Asean environmental officials.
It also reaffirms its commitment to protecting human rights and urges members states to take the necessary measures to safeguard communities affected by transboundary haze pollution.
