Editorial
As millions choke on toxic air, the real threat to Indonesia’s lungs isn't just distant wildfires—it's the coal plants and industrial polluters running unchecked right next door.
The Suralaya coal-fired power plant is pictured on Oct. 31, 2023, in Cilegon, Banten. (AFP/Ronald Siagian)
As intense wildfires tear through Sumatra and Kalimantan during a prolonged dry season, the Health Ministry has logged roughly 15.6 million cases of acute respiratory infections (ISPA) nationwide this year, up by about 200,000 compared with the same period last year.Yet this sharp surge in respiratory illness reaches far beyond the smoke-choked fire zones. Java accounts for some of the highest caseloads, with West Java, Banten and Jakarta topping the list. West Java alone has registered over 1.8 million cases.
These numbers underscore a critical reality: Wildfire haze is not the sole culprit behind the country's respiratory crisis. Across densely populated, industrialized Java, millions breathe toxic air year-round, fueled by unrelenting vehicle exhausts, factory fumes and power station emissions.
