The environment of Malaysia is the biotas and geologies that constitute the natural environment of Malaysia. Malaysia's ecology is megadiverse, with a biodiverse range of flora and fauna found in various ecoregions throughout the country. Tropical rainforests encompass between 59% and 70% of Malaysia's total land area, of which 11.6% is pristine.[1][2][3] Malaysia has the world's fifth largest mangrove area, which totals over a half a million hectares (over 1.2 million acres).[2]
Human intervention poses a significant threat to the natural environment of this country. Agriculture, forestry and urbanisation contribute to the destruction of forests, mangroves and other thriving ecosystems in the country.[4][5] Ecosystems and landscapes are dramatically altered by human development, including the construction of roads and damming of rivers.[6] Geographical phenomena, such as landslides and flooding in the Klang Valley, along with haze, stem from widespread deforestation. Subtle climate change occurs as a direct result of air pollution and the greenhouse effect, which in turn is caused by the emission of greenhouse gases. Low-lying areas near the coastline of Sabah and Sarawak are under threat from current sea level rise.[7]
The environment is the subject of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment at the federal level. The Department of Wildlife and National Parks is responsible for the preservation of flora and fauna in Malaysia. Several environmental organisations have been established to raise awareness regarding the environmental issues in Malaysia.
- ^ "Malaysia – Flora and fauna". Encyclopedia of the Nations. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
- ^ a b "Malaysia – Environment". Environment of the Nations. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
- ^ "Malaysia: Environmental Profile". Mongabay.com. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
- ^ "Malaysia: Acacia plantation plan threatens the Belum-Temenggor forest". World Rainforest Movement. Archived from the original on 20 April 2009. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
- ^ "Development threatens Malaysia's mangroves". The Fish Site. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
- ^ "Sarawak, the dam-ed state". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 21 August 2010. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
The damming of a river creates a reservoir upstream where waters spill out into the surrounding environments, flooding the natural habitats that existed before the dam's construction – completely destroying and eliminating all lifeforms within the perimeter of the dam. These lifeforms include carbon-rich plants and trees that upon death releases large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.
- ^ "Malaysia Feeling The Heat". Malaysian Wildlife Project. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
The east coast of peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak are most susceptible to sea level rise.