ASEAN is on the brink of the regional wildfire season, which usually peaks in August and September, according to this article by CIFOR. There are concerns that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic could boost the incidence and severity of uncontrolled fires, if mobility limitations...
The Haze Outlook report released by the SIIA in late June forecasts a moderate risk of a severe transboundary haze incident this year. One reason for the forecast is that resources to prevent and mitigate the fires would largely be diverted to the government's efforts...
By Sharon See, The Straits Times Singapore: Closing doors to focus on national priorities during a pandemic is a false answer, a Singapore-based think tank suggested on Thursday, and what Asean needs is instead greater transparency and integration for a strong recovery. "The right answer is actually...
Associate Professor Simon Tay, Chairman of SIIA, spoke to CNBC on how ASEAN countries are emerging after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. As lockdown restrictions ease, political schisms in some ASEAN countries have become more prominent. Without sufficient political will, there are concerns...
While many companies are remaining committed to sustainable practices despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the SIIA believes that regulators, financial institutions and NGOs also have important roles to play to ensure that companies uphold good standards of environmental protection, engagement with workers and suppliers, and supply...
This year marks the 25th year of Vietnam’s membership in ASEAN. As Chair of ASEAN this year, the theme “Cohesive and Responsive” was chosen by the country. This theme has been put to the test during the COVID-19 pandemic. How has Vietnam faced up to...
The transboundary haze in Southeast Asia is a perennial issue. In the SIIA Haze Outlook 2020 report, the researchers looked at three factors (weather, peat and people) to assess the risk of transboundary haze in Southeast Asia during the coming dry season. Unusually hot and dry...
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended lives globally and exacerbated geopolitical tensions. With the US questioning globalisation and retreating from multilateral institutions and growing concerns about China’s global aspiration, how are ASEAN countries navigating these developments amid the coronavirus pandemic? Find out more in the interview...
The risk of severe transboundary haze is amber this year. In addition to weather conditions, which usually are the biggest contributing fact to severe transboundary haze, the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hit Indonesia as hard as anywhere else in the world, presents an additional fire...
The risk of severe transboundary haze this year is moderate, according to the latest Haze Outlook report by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA). The dry season is expected to be milder than last year. However, the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is...