Illegal Forest Fires and Haze in Indonesia - 2020s

Illegal Forest Fires and Haze in Indonesia - 2020s

**Illegal Forest Fires and Haze in Indonesia: Current Situation in the 2020s**

Even in the 2020s, illegal forest fires in Indonesia remain a serious environmental issue. These fires primarily occur on Sumatra Island and Kalimantan (Borneo), where they are set for agricultural land development, with the palm oil and pulp and paper industries playing significant roles. In 2020, approximately 1.6 million hectares of forest were burned, much of it due to illegal fires. Companies like palm oil giant Wilmar International and pulp and paper company Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) have been implicated.

Peatland fires remain a major problem in the 2020s, especially in Kalimantan, where these fires can burn for long periods, releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄). A 2019 study estimated that greenhouse gas emissions from Indonesia's forest fires reached approximately 700 megatons per year, significantly contributing to global warming.

In 2020, haze from the forest fires once again spread to neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, with the air quality index (AQI) exceeding the "hazardous" level of 300. In Singapore, economic losses from the 2020 fires were estimated at around SGD 1 billion (approximately 80 billion yen), and health impacts on residents were reported. Fine particulate matter known as PM2.5 spread through the air, raising concerns about increases in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

The Indonesian government, under international pressure and as part of its climate change response, has adopted a "Zero Forest Fire" policy in the 2020s. This includes measures to strengthen fire prevention efforts by companies and collaboration with local communities. In 2022, the government issued strong warnings to Wilmar International regarding the use of illegal fires for land clearing, imposing fines and business suspension measures for violations.

The government also uses satellite technology to monitor fires in real time and has stepped up enforcement against illegal forest fires, although such fires continue. This persistence is partly due to the lack of resources in local governments responsible for monitoring fires and the ability of some companies to evade regulations.

International cooperation has also intensified, with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), as well as the governments of Singapore and Malaysia, working with Indonesia on reforestation efforts and strengthening fire prevention measures. Singapore, in particular, has enacted the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, which holds foreign companies legally responsible for causing haze pollution across borders.