El Nino set to increase haze pollution in North next year
Bangkok Post3 Nov 2015APINYA WIPATAYOTIN
The Department of Pollution Control predicts that an increase in the strength of El Nino early next year will increase the risk of haze pollution in the northern part of Thailand.
Wijarn Simachaya, the department’s chief, said the Meteorological Department expects a stronger El Nino to hit the region next year, judging by the increase in sea temperature.
This will have a marked impact on the Mekong region, especially the number of hotspots in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.
Hotspots are heat spots detected by satellites when farmers practise slash-andburn cultivation. “Drought and dry weather will put the country at more risk of smoke pollution at a time when countries in the region are trying to reduce the number of hotspots to less than 50,000,” Mr Wijarn said. In an agreement in November last year, Mekong Sub-Region countries vowed to reduce the number of hotspots to 75,000 by 2017 and 50,000 by 2020.
An environment ministerial meeting in Hanoi last week also addressed ways Asean members can control and limit the impact of haze pollution. Thailand will host a meeting to discuss the “Haze-Free Asean Roadmap” in Chiang Mai, in January next year.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Surasak Karnjanarat, who yesterday held a meeting on how to deal with haze pollution in the North, told agencies to propose a plan for next year.
The commander of the 3rd Army Region and governors from nine northern provinces will work on the draft during a meeting to be held in Phitsanulok province on Friday. He also said the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will ask animal food producing firms not to buy maize from farmers who burn their unwanted plants.
Forest officials will work with local officials to deter villagers from starting forest fires. “We know where the hotspots come from and we will block them. With a concerted effort, we hope to see fewer hotspots than last year,” he said.
El Nino set to increase haze pollution in North next yearBangkok Post3 Nov 2015APINYA WIPATAYOTINThe Department of Pollution Control predicts that an increase in the strength of El Nino early next year will increase the risk of haze pollution in the northern part of Thailand.Wijarn Simachaya, the department’s chief, said the Meteorological Department expects a stronger El Nino to hit the region next year, judging by the increase in sea temperature.This will have a marked impact on the Mekong region, especially the number of hotspots in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.Hotspots are heat spots detected by satellites when farmers practise slash-andburn cultivation. “Drought and dry weather will put the country at more risk of smoke pollution at a time when countries in the region are trying to reduce the number of hotspots to less than 50,000,” Mr Wijarn said. In an agreement in November last year, Mekong Sub-Region countries vowed to reduce the number of hotspots to 75,000 by 2017 and 50,000 by 2020.An environment ministerial meeting in Hanoi last week also addressed ways Asean members can control and limit the impact of haze pollution. Thailand will host a meeting to discuss the “Haze-Free Asean Roadmap” in Chiang Mai, in January next year.Natural Resources and Environment Minister Surasak Karnjanarat, who yesterday held a meeting on how to deal with haze pollution in the North, told agencies to propose a plan for next year.The commander of the 3rd Army Region and governors from nine northern provinces will work on the draft during a meeting to be held in Phitsanulok province on Friday. He also said the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will ask animal food producing firms not to buy maize from farmers who burn their unwanted plants.Forest officials will work with local officials to deter villagers from starting forest fires. “We know where the hotspots come from and we will block them. With a concerted effort, we hope to see fewer hotspots than last year,” he said.
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..