Context
In the ASEAN region, peatlands cover approximately 23.6 million hectares, representing 56 per cent of global tropical peatlands. It is estimated that ASEAN peatlands store approximately 68 billion tons of carbon, i.e. 14 per cent of the global carbon stored in peatlands. In the past few decades, human interventions such as logging, slash and burn, deforestation, drainage for agriculture, and consequently increasing wildfires have turned ASEAN’s carbon-rich peatlands into gigantic carbon emitters. Annual emissions are now estimated at about 2 billion tons; approximately 5 per cent of global fossil fuel emissions. Since the late 1990’s, uncontrolled large-scale land and forest fires occurring mainly on peatlands plagued Southeast Asia. The fires caused severe transboundary smoke haze pollution affecting the health of millions of people, disrupting transport systems, led to economic losses, and strained the diplomatic relations between neighboring ASEAN countries. Globally, this situation contributed to huge releases of carbon and widespread loss of the unique and valuable peatland biodiversity and ecosystems.
