Indonesia Haze Sparks Calls for Legal Accountability

Al Jazeera reported that toxic haze from Indonesia’s worst wildfires in a decade clouded skies across Malaysia and Singapore over the past two months. The haze has prompted a growing demand for legal accountability against polluters.

The ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution was signed in 2002 and commits the 11 members to tackle haze through national efforts and regional cooperation. The treaty does not provide for judicial enforcement by a court such as the International Court of Justice.

The treaty’s coordinating office, located in Jakarta, opened in April 2025, nearly 25 years after the agreement was envisioned. Implementation has progressed slowly, according to Al Jazeera.

Jakarta has resisted declaring the fires a national disaster, according to the South China Morning Post. The government says it can handle the crisis alone and fears a declaration could divert funds from other priorities.

Malaysia and Singapore have offered assistance to fight the fires but have refrained from criticizing Indonesia, as reported by Al Jazeera. The haze has pushed major population centres in those countries to the top of global tables for poor air quality.

Experts suggest strengthening the existing treaty through independent monitoring, clearer compliance procedures, greater corporate accountability, and stronger domestic enforcement. They also note that countries could use domestic laws with extraterritorial reach, a strategy pioneered by Singapore.