Concerted efforts key to tackling haze issue in region

Haze has become a serious environmental problem in Southeast Asia as it not only brings a negative impact on human health but also affects economies in the region.

Amid the growing threat, member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, have been working closely in recent years to tackle the issue.

During the 17th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment and the 18th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution held in the Lao capital Vientiane in August, ASEAN members agreed to combat air pollution under a new "Clear Sky" strategy.