Millions of people across Indonesia and its neighboring countries are facing exposure to hazardous smoke as fires continue to rage across the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. The intensity of this year’s environmental crisis has been significantly amplified by the occurrence of a super El Niño weather pattern.
For several months, large sections of these Indonesian islands have been engulfed in flames. A primary driver of these blazes is the illegal use of fire as a low-cost method for clearing land to establish oil palm plantations. Indonesia currently stands as the world’s largest producer of palm oil.
The widespread adoption of this destructive land-clearing method, commonly referred to as slash-and-burn, has resulted in pervasive smoke clouds that degrade air quality and pose serious health risks to populations in the affected regions.
Is anyone holding the major global brands accountable for buying palm oil from these illegal plantations? The supply chain problem must be addressed.
The haze hits my hometown every year now. It is heartbreaking to see our skies turn orange and our children struggle to breathe.
This super El Niño is making the situation so much worse. We need stricter enforcement against illegal burning immediately.