Adopting haze accord would bring benefits
Adopting haze accord would bring benefits
27 January 2011
published by www.thejakartapost.com
Indonesia — The Environment Ministry has called on various sectors to join forces to speed up the ratification of an ASEAN agreement on trans-boundary haze pollution.
The ministry said ratifying the policy could bring about economic benefits and prevent the risk of lawsuits from other ASEAN countries impacted by haze pollutions from Indonesia.
From an economic point of view, it [ratifying the policy] could create greater opportunities for CDM [clean development mechanism] projects if there are no forest or land fires, the ministry said in a press release.
It could also prevent negative campaigns from European communities against Indonesian oil palm and wood products which are often branded non eco-friendly products.
CDM is a UN policy that allows developing nations to claim financial incentives from projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Indonesia is the only country in ASEAN which has not ratified the agreement, which took effect in 2003. Indonesia, which chairs ASEAN this year, will host a ministerial meeting on trans-boundary haze pollution this year.