Land clearing driven by low-cost incentives is fueling cross-border environmental and health crises in Southeast Asia, with smoke haze and deforestation spreading far beyond national borders. Experts argue that current economic policies reward destructive practices, perpetuating the cycle of fires and air pollution that disrupts neighboring regions. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) faces pressure to reform these incentives to curb the long-term damage to ecosystems and public health. Without structural changes, the region’s reliance on short-term economic gains will continue to exact a heavy toll on both the environment and neighboring communities.
Cheap land clearing imposes costs across borders. ASEAN must change the incentives that keep the fires burning.
