Environmental issues in Malaysia
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{{Cleanup rewrite|date=November 2021}}File:Haze_in_Kuala_Lumpur.jpg over Kuala Lumpur in 2010.]]
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
= Climate change =
{{Excerpt|Climate change in Malaysia}}
=Endangered species=
{{main|Wildlife of Malaysia|Flora of Malaysia}}
- Borneo pygmy elephant{{cite web|url=http://www.wwf.org.my/about_wwf/what_we_do/species_main/elephant/|title=Elephant - WWF Malaysia|website=www.wwf.org.my}}{{cite web|url=http://www.wwf.org.my/about_wwf/|title=About WWF-Malaysia - WWF Malaysia|website=www.wwf.org.my}}
- Sumatran rhinoceros{{Cite journal |last1=Clements |first1=Reuben |last2=Rayan |first2=Darmaraj Mark |last3=Ahmad Zafir |first3=Abdul Wahab |last4=Venkataraman |first4=Arun |last5=Alfred |first5=Raymond |last6=Payne |first6=Junaidi |last7=Ambu |first7=Laurentius |last8=Sharma |first8=Dionysius Shankar Kumar |date=2010-04-01 |title=Trio under threat: can we secure the future of rhinos, elephants and tigers in Malaysia? |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-009-9775-3 |journal=Biodiversity and Conservation |language=en |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=1115–1136 |doi=10.1007/s10531-009-9775-3 |s2cid=21913372 |issn=1572-9710}}
- Malayan tiger
- Orangutan
- Oriental darter
- Storm's stork
- Milky stork
=Deforestation=
{{Excerpt|Deforestation in Malaysia}}
The following are notable projects contributing to deforestation:
- Hulu Terengganu Hydroelectric Project
- Kelau Dam{{cite web|url=http://www.foejapan.org/en/aid/jbic02/kelau/index.html|title=The Pahang-Selangor Raw Water Transfer Project in Malaysia (Kelau Dam)|first=FoE|last=Japan|website=FoE Japan}}{{Cite web |date=2016-03-03 |title=Development Disasters – Japanese-Funded Dam Projects in Asia |url=http://www.internationalrivers.org/files/attached-files/030309.irnjbic.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303211514/http://www.internationalrivers.org/files/attached-files/030309.irnjbic.pdf |archive-date=2016-03-03 |access-date=2022-08-16 }}
- Bukit Cherakah{{Cite web |title=Bukit Cherakah Forest Reserve, Malaysia Map with Wikipedia Places |url=https://itouchmap.com/?c=my&UF=-2359496&UN=-3266009&DG=FRST |access-date=2022-08-16 |website=itouchmap.com}}
- Pulai River
- Sungai Mas{{Cite web |url=http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/ignorance-is-not-bliss-in-conservation-matters-agkillah-maniam |title=Agkillah Maniam, Ignorance is not bliss in conservation matters, The Malaysian Insider, 12 October 2014 3:01 PM, accessed 1/25/2015 |access-date=25 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150103102622/http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/ignorance-is-not-bliss-in-conservation-matters-agkillah-maniam |archive-date=3 January 2015 |url-status=dead }}
Malaysia had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 5.01/10, ranking it 111th globally out of 172 countries.{{cite journal|last1=Grantham|first1=H. S.|last2=Duncan|first2=A.|last3=Evans|first3=T. D.|last4=Jones|first4=K. R.|last5=Beyer|first5=H. L.|last6=Schuster|first6=R.|last7=Walston|first7=J.|last8=Ray|first8=J. C.|last9=Robinson|first9=J. G.|last10=Callow|first10=M.|last11=Clements|first11=T.|last12=Costa|first12=H. M.|last13=DeGemmis|first13=A.|last14=Elsen|first14=P. R.|last15=Ervin|first15=J.|last16=Franco|first16=P.|last17=Goldman|first17=E.|last18=Goetz|first18=S.|last19=Hansen|first19=A.|last20=Hofsvang|first20=E.|last21=Jantz|first21=P.|last22=Jupiter|first22=S.|last23=Kang|first23=A.|last24=Langhammer|first24=P.|last25=Laurance|first25=W. F.|last26=Lieberman|first26=S.|last27=Linkie|first27=M.|last28=Malhi|first28=Y.|last29=Maxwell|first29=S.|last30=Mendez|first30=M.|last31=Mittermeier|first31=R.|last32=Murray|first32=N. J.|last33=Possingham|first33=H.|last34=Radachowsky|first34=J.|last35=Saatchi|first35=S.|last36=Samper|first36=C.|last37=Silverman|first37=J.|last38=Shapiro|first38=A.|last39=Strassburg|first39=B.|last40=Stevens|first40=T.|last41=Stokes|first41=E.|last42=Taylor|first42=R.|last43=Tear|first43=T.|last44=Tizard|first44=R.|last45=Venter|first45=O.|last46=Visconti|first46=P.|last47=Wang|first47=S.|last48=Watson|first48=J. E. M.|title=Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity - Supplementary Material|journal=Nature Communications|volume=11|issue=1|year=2020|page=5978 |issn=2041-1723|doi=10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3|pmid=33293507 |pmc=7723057 |doi-access=free}}
=Pollution=
{{See|Air pollution in Malaysia}}Air pollution in Malaysia is a major issue, with the country one of the most affected by seasonal Southeast Asian haze.{{Cite journal |last=Tacconi |first=Luca |date=July 2016 |title=Preventing fires and haze in Southeast Asia |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/nclimate3008 |journal=Nature Climate Change |language=en |volume=6 |issue=7 |pages=640–643 |doi=10.1038/nclimate3008 |bibcode=2016NatCC...6..640T |issn=1758-6798}}
- 1982 Bukit Merah radioactive pollution{{Cite news |last=Bradsher |first=Keith |date=2011-03-08 |title=Mitsubishi Quietly Cleans Up Its Former Refinery |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/business/energy-environment/09rareside.html |access-date=2022-08-16 |issn=0362-4331}}
- 2019 Kim Kim River toxic pollution{{Cite news |date=2019-03-20 |title=Pasir Gudang: How one quiet lorry sparked a toxic waste crisis |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47607666 |access-date=2022-08-16}}
=Reclamation=
{{main|Land reclamation}}
Coastal reclamation is damaging mangroves and turtle nesting sights.
= Recycling and waste management =
{{main|Recycling in Malaysia}}
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 =
{{Further|Water supply and sanitation in Malaysia}}
Controversial projects and policies
Environmental organisations
See also
{{Commons category|Environmental problems in Malaysia}}
References
{{Reflist}}