Forest and land fires remain one of Southeast Asia’s most persistent environmental and climate challenges. In Indonesia, widespread fires across Sumatra and Kalimantan continue to threaten forests and biodiversity, as well as public health and local communities’ livelihoods.

The impacts, however, do not stop at national borders. Smoke from forest and land fires can travel across Southeast Asia, affecting neighbouring countries and turning a national environmental crisis into a shared regional challenge. More than two decades after ASEAN Member States signed the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) in 2002, recurring haze episodes continue to expose gaps between regional commitments, national implementation, and effective action on the ground.

Forest and land fire in Other Use Area (APL) in Tumbang Nusa, Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, taken on 16 August 2026. © Yudi Nofiandi / Auriga Nusantara.

Against this backdrop, Auriga Nusantara, together with Koalisi Ekonomi Membumi and BLESS Indonesia as collaborators, will convene a dialogue at the Nature-based Economy Pavilion during Bangkok Climate Action Week 2026. Bringing together perspectives from civil society, academia, and environmental practitioners from Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and The Philippines, the discussion will explore the impacts of transboundary haze, gaps in current regional responses, and opportunities for coordinated action that can better protect Southeast Asia’s forests and communities.