Transboundary haze pollution is an almost annual occurrence in Southeast Asia. Haze originates from peat and forest fires mostly in Indonesia, with Malaysia and Singapore suffering the worst of its effects. Most of these fires are manmade, and linked to land clearing activities of local and foreign commercial oil palm plantations. The regional nature of haze has concentrated mitigation activities at the ASEAN level. However these initiatives continually fail to effectively mitigate haze. This article argues that haze mitigation has been problematic due to the ASEAN style of regional engagement, which prioritizes the maintenance of national sovereignty. States are compelled to act in their national interests, as opposed to the collective regional interests. The economic importance of the oil palm sector to the states involved, coupled with traditionally close relationships between key economic actors and political elites, meant that the maintenance of the status quo, where major plantation companies could continue to clear land using the cost-effective method of burning, was of crucial national interest. Therefore, the ASEAN style of regional engagement has enabled member states to shape ASEAN initiatives to preserve the interests of these political and economic elite, while the public continue to suffer the haze.

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东盟的方式和减轻霾的努力

跨境雾霾污染在东南亚几乎每年都会发生。阴霾主要来自印度尼西亚的泥炭和森林大火，马来西亚和新加坡遭受的危害最为严重。这些火灾大多数是人为火灾，与本地和国外商业油棕种植园的土地清理活动有关。霾的区域性将缓解活动集中在东盟一级。然而，这些举措一直未能有效减轻雾霾。本文认为，由于东盟的区域参与风格（优先考虑维护国家主权），缓解雾霾一直存在问题。国家被迫为国家利益而不是集体的区域利益行事。油棕产业对相关州的经济重要性，加上传统上主要经济行为者与政治精英之间的紧密关系，这意味着维持现状至关重要，这是重要的国家利益。在这种现状下，主要的种植园公司可以继续使用经济有效的焚烧方式清理土地。因此，东盟地区参与的方式使成员国能够制定东盟倡议，以维护这些政治和经济精英的利益，而公众则继续受到困扰。