Program Specialist for the UNESCO Social Knowledge and Humanities Unit in Jakarta, Irakli Khodeli said in Pekanbaru on Friday that the results of a series of UNESCO MOST Academy will be taken to a higher level, including to the government level. He also explained that the UNESCO MOST Academy will provide a model of social transformation, especially related to the control of smog pollution that often occurs in Indonesia. The UNESCO MOST Academy has gathered a number of participants who come from various backgrounds regarding the handling of smog pollution due to forest fires. Thus, he hopes that the UNESCO MOST results will have a wider impact on handling smog pollution.

“We put together a model of a sustainable transformation from haze to a healthy environment. And this model will be based on lessons learned from this project so we have an evidence of what has worked. We will then convene the key stakeholders in Jakarta. This is the Ministry of Forest and Natural Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education and Culture, Ministry of Health, Peat Land Restoration Agency, MPA villagers that fight fire. So, we bring them together, we demonstrate this model and we decide how to take this to a higher level. Higher level means a broader scope, wide dissemination for higher impact. So that we can reverse the tide of haze happening,” said Irakli.

Furthermore, Irakli Khodeli said that Indonesia is predicted to be affected by Elnino in the coming years. Thus, the model for handling the smog pollution produced by the UNESCO MOST Academy must be brought to a higher level discussion so that Indonesia can reduce the adverse effects of Elnino's arrival in the coming years, including the effects of smog pollution from forest fires. (Ndy)