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18 - Government communication on transboundary haze: The nexus between public health and tourism

from Part II - Sustainable Development: Challenges and Opportunities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2021

By
Helena Varkkey
Edited by
Pak Sum Low
Pak Sum Low
Affiliation:
Xiamen University Malaysia
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Summary

Haze has been a serious transboundary problem in Southeast Asia for decades. Originating largely from fires in Indonesia, the smoke travels across borders, affecting up to six Southeast Asian states almost annually. Haze contains fine particles which irritate the eyes and penetrate the lungs. As a result, scores of Indonesians, Malaysians, and Singaporeans suffer from respiratory, dermatological, and ophthalmological problems. These health risks, together with reduced visibility, have also caused tourist numbers to drop dramatically. This chapter observes that governments worked hard to protect and maintain their tourism sectors in the face of the haze. The main tactic used was to underrepresent the health risks of haze, both to citizens and tourists. As a result, regional governments largely failed to recognize the haze as a serious public health issue. At the national level, states often under-report health effects in the attempt to keep tourism levels stable. At the regional level, member states have yet to agree on a common ASEAN-wide regional air quality measurement system, with many continuing to use a system that tends to underrepresent health risks. At the international level, affected states have been quick to debunk research that indicates higher levels of mortality. As a result, citizens lack the awareness and sense of urgency to make wise health and well-being decisions during haze episodes. Sustainable development involves economic growth balanced with social development and environmental sustainability. However, the case of the haze shows that Southeast Asian states still find it challenging to balance these elements in the spirit of sustainable development.

Keywords

Transboundary haze;forest fires;Indonesia;Malaysia;Singapore;tourism;public health;government responses;international media;sensationalism;air quality indices;excess deaths;ASEAN
Type
Chapter
Information
Sustainable Development: Asia-Pacific Perspectives , pp. 220 - 230
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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