Urgent Action Needed to Address Southeast Asia Fires and Transboundary Haze

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Secretariat is deeply concerned and saddened by the severe fires affecting parts of Indonesia and the devastating impact they are having on local communities, public health, wildlife, and livelihoods. We share the deep concern and urgency felt across the region.

Our teams are working around the clock, using our satellite-based Hotspot Hub and FireWatch alert system with direct coordination on the ground, to track hotspots, verify fire incidents in and around certified concessions, and support impacted members.

We are aware that several RSPO members are facing immense challenges on the ground. Their immediate priority is protecting lives, containing fires, assisting communities, and collaborating with local forest authorities, wildlife rescue organisations, and NGOs to safeguard vulnerable areas, such as orangutan habitats and conservation areas. The Secretariat is actively engaging with affected members to establish the causes of the fires and will determine the necessary actions to be taken in line with our Standards once detailed reports are available.

The RSPO Standards strictly prohibit the use of fire for land clearing or preparation. Our approach is designed to bring greater transparency and accountability to the prevention and management of forest fires, open fires and the use of fire for pest control. Fires occur for a range of natural and human-induced reasons. RSPO Certified plantations maintain rigorous fire management protocols and have measures in place to prevent and respond to fire risks and incidents in and around their plantations. RSPO Members are expected to respond to fires occurring within approximately two kilometres of their concession boundaries, but frequently respond well beyond this distance in support of neighbouring communities.

The RSPO Standards also mandate health and safety Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that require members to monitor air quality levels and adjust fieldwork, halt strenuous labour, and provide mandatory respiratory equipment when air pollution levels increase.

Our global RSPO membership has been monitoring the current fire situation with great concern. We urge affected RSPO Members to continue their diligent surveillance, patrols and monitoring and reporting efforts while supporting workers, local communities and conservation efforts affected by the fires and haze.

With severe dry weather and intensifying El Niño conditions forecast to persist, managing this crisis requires orchestrated action at scale. The RSPO is calling for shared commitment across all relevant sectors, transparent cross-border collaboration, and a relentless focus on early intervention.

We also express our utmost gratitude to the volunteers, emergency responders, and organisations working tirelessly to protect communities and wildlife under extremely challenging conditions.

About RSPO:
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a global partnership to make palm oil sustainable. Formed in 2004, the RSPO is a multi-stakeholder non-profit organisation that unites members from across the palm oil value chain, including oil palm producers, palm oil processors and traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks and investors, environmental or nature conservation non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and social or developmental NGOs.

As a partnership for progress and positive impact, the RSPO facilitates global change to make the production and consumption of palm oil sustainable. To inspire change, we communicate the environmental and social benefits. To make progress, we catalyse collaboration. To provide assurance, we set the standards of certification.

The RSPO is registered as an international association in Zurich, Switzerland, with main offices in Malaysia and Indonesia, and offices in China, Colombia, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States. 

SOURCE Roundtable On Sustainable Palm Oil