A new cross-border air pollution bill approved by the Singapore government last week has the potential to crack down hard on polluters. The law seeks to address the problem of air pollution in Singapore that is caused by smoke from forest fires in neighboring Indonesia. The legislation provides enforcers with a relatively low threshold to prove that a country outside of Singapore has caused air pollution, and allows for fines of up to S$100,000 per day (US$79,980), with a S$2 million maximum (US$1.6 million). While environmentalists have praised the law, experts question whether it will work in practice. Potential roadblocks include Indonesia’s complex land use laws and the difficulty in prosecuting foreign businesses. As senior analyst Andrew Wood from Business Monitor International stated, “There is some potential for conflict over the need for cooperation from local authorities (in Indonesia) in gathering evidence against violators.” David Gaveau of the Center for International Forestry Research also noted that it will be difficult to determine who is responsible for starting the fires, as a broad range of people—from small farmers to mid-level investors—are involved in the burning. For the full story, see http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/08/06/us-singapore-haze-idUKKBN0G611P20140806. Earlier: http://elr.info/international/international-update/singapore-proposes-harsh-penalties-transboundary-polluters.