Enviro News Asia, Belem – Indonesia reaffirmed its role as a driving force in global action to control forest and land fires through its full support for the Call to Action on Integrated Fire Management and Wildfire Resilience. This commitment was delivered by Thomas Nifinluri, Director of Forest and Land Fire Control at the Ministry of Forestry, during the strategic session titled “From Call to Action to Implementation: Scaling Fire Solutions through the Global Fire Management Hub”, organized by FAO and the Government of Brazil as part of the COP30 Action Agenda in Belem, 17 November 2025.
Addressing delegates from dozens of countries, Thomas emphasized that Indonesia’s approach to wildfire mitigation aligns closely with the principles of Integrated Fire Management (IFM) promoted by the Global Fire Management Hub. To date, four ASEAN countries—Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and the Philippines—have endorsed the Call to Action. Indonesia hopes more ASEAN states will join the initiative to strengthen IFM implementation at the regional level.
According to Thomas, Indonesia’s extensive experience highlights three key elements in reducing fire risk: cross-stakeholder collaboration, strong coordination across sectors and countries, and active community participation. “These three factors form the foundation of our efforts to reduce wildfire risks,” he said.
He added that ASEAN has long had an important instrument in place through the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP), established in 2002. The agreement serves as a strong basis for reinforcing ASEAN countries’ commitment to addressing forest fires and transboundary haze.
Indonesia also outlined various ASEAN initiatives aligned with the Call to Action, including the shift from suppression to prevention, strengthened international cooperation, promotion of Community-based Fire Management (CBFiM), development of the ASEAN Haze Portal, and formulation of guidelines for burnt area mapping. In addition, the region is advancing the ASEAN Investment Framework for Haze-Free Sustainable Land Management, sustainable peatland management strategies, and the ASEAN Haze Free Roadmap 2023–2030.
Another crucial step is Indonesia’s preparation for the establishment of the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control (ACCTHPC), which will be headquartered in Indonesia. The center is expected to serve as ASEAN’s primary coordination hub for addressing transboundary haze and supporting the implementation of IFM across the region.
In its opening remarks, FAO noted that the Call to Action launched on 6 November 2025 has now received support from 62 countries and four international organizations—an achievement that reflects growing global solidarity in addressing fire-related crises.
With international support continuing to expand, Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment to contributing as part of the global solution. Through regional collaboration and its involvement in the Global Fire Management Hub, Indonesia places prevention, capacity building, and the integration of local knowledge as central pillars toward more resilient and sustainable fire governance. (*)
