(VOVworld) - The 13th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (AMME 13) commenced in Hanoi on Wednesday.  The AMME 13’s related meetings – including a preparatory senior officials’ meeting, the 14th ASEAN+3 ministerial meeting, the 11th meeting of the committee on implementing the ASEAN Agreement on Trans-boundary Haze Pollution  also took place in the context of increasing serious impacts of climate change and environmental pollution in the region.

(Photo: tuoitre.vn)

ASEAN Ministers discussed the Agreement on Trans-boundary Haze Pollution, Peat land Management Strategy. They also proposed ASEAN leaders to approve the ASEAN Sub-Regional Haze Monitoring System. Nguyen Ba Ngai, Deputy Head of the Vietnam Forestry Administration under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said prevention of forest fire and haze firstly is the responsibility of each nation: “ASEAN countries have established a remote sensing system for trans-boundary haze surveillance. The center updates information on forest fire as well as air control. An ASEAN Haze Fund was also set up and Vietnam was one of the first countries to contribute to this fund. Apart from that, ASEAN countries need to call for more support from related international organizations to prevent forest fire and protect the environment more effective”.