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ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP)

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For. Raul Briz (seventh from left) at the 12th Conference of the Parties on the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 11 August 2016. [ASEAN Secretariat]

This Agreement aims to prevent and monitor transboundary haze pollution as a result of land and/or forest fires through coordinated national efforts and more intense regional and international cooperation. It contains provisions on monitoring, assessment and prevention, technical cooperation, scientific research, mechanisms for coordination, lines of communication, and simplified customs and immigration procedures for disaster relief. The agreement also establishes the ASEAN Coordinating Centre (ACC) for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control (THPC).

The Agreement was established in 2002. The Philippines signed it on 10 June 2002. The treaty builds on the 1995 ASEAN Cooperation Plan on Transboundary Pollution and the 1997 Regional Haze Action Plan. It is managed by the ASEAN Ministers of Environment and other representatives from respective ASEAN countries.

The AATHP has received full ratification following the ratification of the Agreement by Indonesia in October 2014.
 
Focal Office:
Forest Management Bureau (FMB)
Date:
Date signed June 10, 2002; Date ratified by the Philippines February 1, 2010
Focal Persons:
HON. ROY A. CIMATU
Secretary, DENR
Tel. No. (632) 926 3011, 920 4301, 929 6626 loc 2258

Technical Representative
FOR. NONITO M. TAMAYO
Director, DENR-FMB Tel. No. (632) 927 4788
Commitments:
The Roadmap on ASEAN Cooperation towards Transboundary Haze Pollution Control with Means of Implementation has the following key strategic components for concrete and collective actions:
Strategy 1 Implementation of the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP)
Strategy 2 Sustainable management of peatlands for peatland fires prevention
Strategy 3 -Sustainable management of agricultural land and forest for large scale forest and/or land fires prevention
Strategy 4 Strengthening policies, laws, regulations and their Implementations, including to facilitate exchange of experience and relevant information among enforcement authorities of the Parties in accordance with the AATHP Article 16(f)
Strategy 5 Enhancing cooperation, exchange of information and technology, and strengthening of capacity of institutions at all levels
Strategy 6 Enhancing public awareness and cross-sectoral and stakeholders participation
Strategy 7 Securing adequate resources from multi-stakeholders for transboundary haze prevention
Strategy 8 Reducing health and environmental risks and protection of global environment
Sources / Relevant Links:
ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution
https://haze.asean.org/2016/09/asean-agreement-on-transboundary-haze-pollution-2/
http://haze.asean.org/asean-agreement-on-transboundary-haze-pollution-2/ https://environment.asean.org/about-asean-cooperation-on-transboundary-haze-pollution-control/
Daily Haze Hotspot Map
http://haze.asean.org/ or http://asmc.asean.org/home
Status:

Updates

The 12th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-12) to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) held on 11 August 2016 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia adopted the Roadmap on ASEAN Cooperation towards Transboundary Haze Pollution Control with Means of Implementation (2016-2020), also known as the Haze-Free Roadmap.
Discussions on the establishment agreement and host country agreement of the ASEAN Coordinating Center (ACC) for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control (THPC) to be hosted by Indonesia are ongoing. Coordination is currently performed by the ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC).
In terms of Philippine action to comply with the Roadmap, DENR field personnel immediately conduct fire suppression to prevent the spread of forest fires, including grassland fires in forest lands, even without the assistance of the local Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). The BFP is under the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and is tasked under Republic Act No. 6975 to prevent and suppress all destructive fires including forest fires.
Forest fire management and suppression is already included the DENR's FiveYear National Forest Protection Program (2015-2019) Menu of Options for Effective Forest Protection and Law Enforcement and also in the DENR Regional Strategic Forest Protection Action Plan.
This Page was updated on 18 December 2019 and will be updated on 10 December 2020
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