Indonesian fires: a “solvable problem”

Indonesian fires that cause widespread air pollution and vast carbon emissions are a “solvable problem,” according to the leader of a project set up to help address the problem.

In the dry years, Indonesian bog fires burn for months and exposure to smoke from 2015 alone is expected to lead to 100,000 premature deaths.

The fires of 2015, described as the “worst environmental disaster” of the year (Guardian, 2015), also emitted four and a half times the amount of carbon in the British economy in a full year.

A combination of factors, including deforestation and climate change, plays a role and the “KaLi” project (Kalimantan Lestari – sustainable Kalimantan) will investigate the causes and possible solutions.

This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the Global Challenges Research Fund.

“The recurring peat fires in Indonesia are a huge problem and some of the statistics on their implications are simply astounding,” said project leader Professor Frank Van Veen, of the Center for Ecology and Conservation of Penryn Campus in Exeter in Cornwall.

“Ultimately, however, this is a solvable problem and there is clearly a strong desire in Indonesia to overcome it.

“This funding offers us a fantastic opportunity to contribute to these efforts.

“It is very exciting to be part of such an interdisciplinary team, conducting collaborative research that can make a real difference to people’s lives and the environment.”

Indonesia’s Central Kalimantan Province on the island of Borneo is home to vast bogs and is the epicenter of the country’s wildfires.

Most of the fires in this region are set deliberately, mainly as part of agricultural practices, but the duration and severity of the fires are strongly linked to the drought caused by El Niño, which can be exacerbated by ongoing deforestation.

“In their pristine, naturally waterlogged and wooded state, these bogs rarely burn, so the fires are concentrated in large areas that have dried up to some extent due to deforestation and drainage for agriculture and mining. of timber, ”said Professor Susan Page of the School of Geography, Geology and Environment at the University of Leicester.

“Here, blazing fires burn in the peat below, often continuing for months and generating immense clouds of toxic haze.

“This is the main cause of the air pollution events that have been happening in Southeast Asia for most of the years.”

Dr. Muhammad Ali Imron, Vice Dean for Research, Community Service and Cooperation of the Faculty of Forestry at Gadjah Mada University, said: “The factors behind peatland fires are a combination of climate processes, land use. and ignition by man.

“The resulting impacts are, therefore, to a large extent preventable, but effective action requires a more detailed understanding of future risks associated with climate, physical conditions and human systems and behaviors.”

The project aims to develop this understanding and identify the groups and communities most at risk from fires.

The team will then identify priority actions and policies to support Indonesia-led initiatives to reduce the risk of future fires.

They will also identify “obstacles” that could impede progress, with the aim of “better environmental and socio-economic conditions for all”.

Dr Darmae ​​Nasir, Director of the Center for International Cooperation in Sustainable Management of Tropical Peatlands (CIMTROP), University of Palangka Raya, said: “The ultimate goal of this project is to build long-term resilience to multiple risks. associated with drought and fires in central Kalimantan peatlands.

“A full understanding of human costs can guide the appropriate action to be taken to minimize impacts when a disaster occurs.

“Our research proposal on building resilience underlines the need to do so in the context of sustainable development and building positive economic opportunities for people in Indonesia.”

Project partners include Indonesian government agencies and departments, an NGO with significant experience in engaging rural communities in the region, and peer partnerships between British and Indonesian universities.

The Indonesian institutions involved are the Peatland Restoration Agency, the Borneo Nature Indonesia Foundation and the Gadjah Mada, Indonesia and Palangka Raya universities.

The UK institutions are the universities of Exeter, Leicester, Leeds and East Anglia and the London School of Economics.