1. “Assisting Party” means a State, international organisation, any other entity or person that offer and/or render assistance to a Requesting Party or a Receiving Party in the event of land and/or forest fires or haze pollution.
2. “Competent authorities” means one or more entities designated and authorised by each Party to act on its behalf in the implementation of this Agreement.
5. “Focal point” means an entity designated and authorised by each Party to receive and transmit communications and data pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.
6. “Haze pollution” means smoke resulting from land and/or forest fire which causes deleterious effects of such a nature as to endanger human health, harm living resources and ecosystems and material property and impair or interfere with amenities and other legitimate uses of the environment.
11. “Receiving Party” means a Party that accepts assistance offered by an Assisting Party or Parties in the event of land and/or forest fires or haze pollution.
13. “Transboundary haze pollution” means haze pollution whose physical origin is situated wholly or in part within the area under the national jurisdiction of one Member State and which is transported into the area under the jurisdiction of another Member State.
The objective of this Agreement is to prevent and monitor transboundary haze pollution as a result of land and/or forest fires which should be mitigated, through concerted national efforts and intensified regional and international co-operation. This should be pursued in the overall context of sustainable development and in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
1. The Parties have, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law, the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental and developmental policies, and the responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment and harm to human health of other States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.
2. The Parties shall, in the spirit of solidarity and partnership and in accordance with their respective needs, capabilities and situations, strengthen co-operation and co-ordination to prevent and monitor transboundary haze pollution as a result of land and/or forest fires which should be mitigated.
3. The Parties should take precautionary measures to anticipate, prevent and monitor tranboundary haze pollution as a result of land and/or forest fires which should be mitigated, to minimise its adverse effects. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage from transboundary haze pollution, even without full scientific certainty, precautionary measures shall be taken by Parties concerned.
4. The Parties should manage and use their natural resources, including forest and land resources, in an ecologically sound and sustainable manner.
1. Co-operate in developing and implementing measures to prevent and monitor transboundary haze pollution as a result of land and/or forest fires which should be mitigated, and to control sources of fires, including by the identification of fires, development of monitoring, assessment and early warning systems, exchange of information and technology, and the provision of mutual assistance.
2. When the transboundary haze pollution originates from within their territories, respond promptly to a request for relevant information or consultations sought by a State or States that are or may be affected by such transboundary haze pollution, with a view to minimising the consequences of the transboundary haze pollution.
1. The ASEAN Co-ordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control, hereinafter referred to as “the ASEAN Centre”, is hereby established for the purposes of facilitating co-operation and co-ordination among the Parties in managing the impact of land and/or forest fires in particular haze pollution arising from such fires.
3. A Committee composed of representatives of the national authorities of the Parties shall oversee the operation of the ASEAN Centre.
a. Developing and implementing legislative and other regulatory measures, as well as programmes and strategies to promote zero burning policy to deal with land and/or forest fires resulting in transboundary haze pollution;
e. Promoting public education and awareness-building campaigns and strengthening community participation in fire management to prevent land and/or forest fires and haze pollution arising from such fires;
f. Promoting and utilising indigenous knowledge and practices in fire prevention and management; and