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Malaysia faces several environmental issues. Malaysia's environment possesses megadiverse biological diversity, with globally significant endemism and biodiversity, but is threatened by several issues. Deforestation is a major issue in the country that has led to many species becoming threatened with extinction. As a major economic sector, palm oil production has had a substantial environmental impact. Air pollution is also a major issue, with the country one of the most affected countries by seasonal Southeast Asian haze. The country is also affected by climate change.
Issues
[edit]Climate change
[edit]
Climate change is having a considerable impact in Malaysia. Increasing temperatures are likely to greatly increase the number of heatwaves occurring annually. Variations in precipitation may increase the frequency of droughts and floods in various local areas. Sea level rise may inundate some coastal areas. These impacts are expected to have numerous environmental and socioeconomic effects, exacerbating existing environmental issues and reinforcing inequality.
Malaysia itself contributes emissions given its significant use of coal and natural gas. However, the use of hydropower has expanded in the 21st century, and other potential energy sources such as solar power and biomass are being explored. The government anticipates the need to adapt in areas such as health and coastal defences, and has ratified the Paris Agreement.Endangered species
[edit]- Borneo pygmy elephant[1][2]
- Sumatran rhinoceros[3]
- Malayan tiger[3]
- Orangutan
- Oriental darter
- Storm's stork
- Milky stork
Deforestation
[edit]
Deforestation in Malaysia is a major environmental issue in the country. British colonial deforestation efforts began in 1880 and were rapidly driven by commercial rubber and palm oil cultivation.
Between 1990 and 2010, Malaysia lost an estimated 8.6% of its forest cover, or around 1,920,000 hectares (4,700,000 acres).[4] Logging and land clearing has particularly been driven by the palm oil sector. World Bank policies in the 1970s encouraged palm oil expansion and the IMF’s bailout package, following the 1998 economic crisis, incentivised the expansion of palm plantations. However, as a megadiverse country, efforts have been made to conserve Malaysia's forests and reduce the rate of deforestation.The following are notable projects contributing to deforestation:
- Hulu Terengganu Hydroelectric Project
- Kelau Dam[5][6]
- Bukit Cherakah[7]
- Pulai River
- Sungai Mas[8]
Malaysia had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 5.01/10, ranking it 111th globally out of 172 countries.[9]
Pollution
[edit]Air pollution in Malaysia is a major issue, with the country one of the most affected by seasonal Southeast Asian haze.[10]
Reclamation
[edit]Coastal reclamation is damaging mangroves and turtle nesting sights.
Recycling and waste management
[edit]The country has numerous waste and recycling policies and initiatives but overall low rate of recycling and problems with violations and enforcement of such laws and policies.
Water
[edit]Controversial projects and policies
[edit]| Project/Area affected | Activity | State | Began | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakun Dam | Dams | Sarawak | 2008 | Forest loss. | [13] |
| Kuala Lumpur Outer Ring Road (KLORR) | Highways | Selangor | 2008 | Forest fragmentation in the Selangor State Park. | [14] |
| Forest Plantation Development[15] | Plantation | Selangor | 2008- | Clearance of natural forest for timber plantations. | [16] |
| Empire Residence Development | Housing | Selangor | 2008- | Hillslope clearance. | [17] |
| Pan Borneo Highway | Highway | Sarawak/Sabah | 2016 | Forest loss, Brunei sections and the Temburong Bridge project and its implications to Limbang | [18] |
Environmental organisations
[edit]See also
[edit]
- Environment of Malaysia
- Deforestation in Malaysia
- Climate change in Malaysia
- List of environmental issues
References
[edit]- ^ "Elephant - WWF Malaysia". www.wwf.org.my.
- ^ "About WWF-Malaysia - WWF Malaysia". www.wwf.org.my.
- ^ a b Clements, Reuben; Rayan, Darmaraj Mark; Ahmad Zafir, Abdul Wahab; Venkataraman, Arun; Alfred, Raymond; Payne, Junaidi; Ambu, Laurentius; Sharma, Dionysius Shankar Kumar (2025-08-14). "Trio under threat: can we secure the future of rhinos, elephants and tigers in Malaysia?". Biodiversity and Conservation. 19 (4): 1115–1136. doi:10.1007/s10531-009-9775-3. ISSN 1572-9710. S2CID 21913372.
- ^ "Malaysia Forest Information and Data". Rainforests.mongabay.com. Archived from the original on 7 September 2004. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ Japan, FoE. "The Pahang-Selangor Raw Water Transfer Project in Malaysia (Kelau Dam)". FoE Japan.
- ^ "Development Disasters – Japanese-Funded Dam Projects in Asia" (PDF). 2025-08-14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-08-14. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ "Bukit Cherakah Forest Reserve, Malaysia Map with Wikipedia Places". itouchmap.com. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ "Agkillah Maniam, Ignorance is not bliss in conservation matters, The Malaysian Insider, 12 October 2014 3:01 PM, accessed 1/25/2015". Archived from the original on 3 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
- ^ Grantham, H. S.; Duncan, A.; Evans, T. D.; Jones, K. R.; Beyer, H. L.; Schuster, R.; Walston, J.; Ray, J. C.; Robinson, J. G.; Callow, M.; Clements, T.; Costa, H. M.; DeGemmis, A.; Elsen, P. R.; Ervin, J.; Franco, P.; Goldman, E.; Goetz, S.; Hansen, A.; Hofsvang, E.; Jantz, P.; Jupiter, S.; Kang, A.; Langhammer, P.; Laurance, W. F.; Lieberman, S.; Linkie, M.; Malhi, Y.; Maxwell, S.; Mendez, M.; Mittermeier, R.; Murray, N. J.; Possingham, H.; Radachowsky, J.; Saatchi, S.; Samper, C.; Silverman, J.; Shapiro, A.; Strassburg, B.; Stevens, T.; Stokes, E.; Taylor, R.; Tear, T.; Tizard, R.; Venter, O.; Visconti, P.; Wang, S.; Watson, J. E. M. (2020). "Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity - Supplementary Material". Nature Communications. 11 (1): 5978. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3. ISSN 2041-1723. PMC 7723057. PMID 33293507.
- ^ Tacconi, Luca (July 2016). "Preventing fires and haze in Southeast Asia". Nature Climate Change. 6 (7): 640–643. Bibcode:2016NatCC...6..640T. doi:10.1038/nclimate3008. ISSN 1758-6798.
- ^ Bradsher, Keith (2025-08-14). "Mitsubishi Quietly Cleans Up Its Former Refinery". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ "Pasir Gudang: How one quiet lorry sparked a toxic waste crisis". BBC News. 2025-08-14. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ "The Bakun Hydroelectric Project - Malaysia". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
- ^ "Selangor State Park Blog (TREES)". Retrieved 4 August 2011.
- ^ "Private sector forest plantation development in Peninsular Malaysia". www.fao.org.
- ^ "Reserve land cleared for reforestation". Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
- ^ "Don't Kill that Hill Campaign". Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
- ^ "10 packages for Pan Borneo Highway project to be tendered this year, says works minister". Malay Mail. 18 February 2016.
