Singapore Among World's Most Polluted Cities As Indonesia Wildfires Fuel Haze
Singapore is experiencing severe air pollution due to transboundary haze caused by wildfires in Indonesia. The situation is worsened by the El Nino weather pattern, which has created dry conditions and led to record-high hotspot counts in the region.
Why it matters
The environmental crisis highlights the regional health risks and economic impact of transboundary pollution in Southeast Asia.
Singapore was shrouded in haze on Tuesday, with smoke from wildfires in neighboring Indonesia raising islandwide pollution to levels that pose a health risk. All five regions of the city-state recorded unhealthy air-quality levels, the first time that's happened since September 2019, according to the National Environment Agency. Singapore's air currently ranks among the 10 most polluted cities in the world, according to IQAir data, with the capitals of Malaysia and Indonesia also among the top spots.Indonesia often battles wildfires during its annual dry season, but hotspots this year have been higher than normal.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in