Penang Environmental Agenda Leong Yueh Kwong Malaysian Nature Society 29/10/11

Introduction Penang’s environmental problems are well known and well published in the media over the last 25 years Still a major concern judging by the entries in PenangWatch.net with environment after public transport and local government Concerns include hill cutting Land reclamation Water pollution Air pollution Inappropriate development, etc 29/10/11

From environmental protection to sustainable development A paradigm shift from environmental conservation and protection to sustainable development Shift as a result of the Earth Summit in Rio 1992 Environmental issues all subsumed under Agenda 21- national and local Sustainability becomes underlying framework to view environmental issues 29/10/11

Studies done on Penang’s environment Quite a large number of studies by USM on water, air and noise pollution Monitoring of air quality, water quality by DOE Flooding and mitigation by DID Structure Plan 1980s Penang Environmental Conservation Strategy 1999 Penang Strategic Development Plan 2 (2001- 2010) 29/10/11

Penang Environmental Conservation Strategy (PECS) Comprehensive study commissioned by the Penang State Government with inputs from 15 environmental specialists Identified all major environmental problems in Penang Recommended strategies to resolve the problems Proposed action programs for the strategies Identified departments, agencies and institutions that would be involved Proposed institutional arrangements to undertake the action programs 29/10/11

Scope of PECS Land use and integrated planning Land use plan Hill land conservation Land reclamation Conservation and management of natural resources Water Forest Biological diversity Marine resources 29/10/11

Scope of PECS ….cont’d Urban environment issues Urbanization and human settlements Waste management Industrial pollution Environmental health Infrastructure development Transport Energy use Gardens, parks and open spaces 29/10/11

Coastal zone management Coastal land reclamation Tanjung Tokong land reclamation Privatized 5 more islands to be reclaimed Impacts on Gurney drive and Penang port Sedimentation Shallowing of port Increased sedimentaion and water quality Jelutong land reclamation Impacts on straits of Penang Loss of linear park 29/10/11

Coastal zone management Closing of beaches and coastal waters to Penang public and the issue of public access to beaches and coastal waters Hotels and high rise condos in beach front and loss of aesthetic value Carrying capacity of coastal zone exceeded? Over building and violation of development control guidelines Hill cutting along Batu Feringhii and sedimentation of coastal waters Infrastructure inadequacy and traffic bottlenecks 29/10/11

Hill cutting and development Legal and illegal hill cutting Construction of illegal roads up the hills Hill farms and soil erosion and abandonment as practice not sustainable Development in hill slopes Landslides and land slips in Paya Terubong Water catchments and diversion of water to farms and other use Drying up of waterfalls and streams 29/10/11

Public open space Penang has very limited public open space Federal Town and Country Department recommends 6 to 7 acres per 1000 population Penang Island Structure Plan recommends 8 hectares per 5000 MPPP requires only 2 hectares per 5,000 Urgent need when 90% of new residential units are high rise and small for medium and low cost housing 29/10/11

Requirements for public open space Projected population of Penang in 2010 1,647,000 Public space requirements based on 4 ha per 2500 population 1 ha neighborhood parks 1 ha town park 1 ha community park 1 ha regional park Penang requires 2635 ha of public open space Available space in Penang Island and Sebarang Perai in 2000 is 449 ha 29/10/11

How to find the space? Acquire land Allocate existing land Expensive option Allocate existing land Need political will Land reclamation 30% for public recreation Linear coastal parks 29/10/11

Next Steps Action required Working group on each issue Hill development Coastal zone development and land reclamation Pollution Tree planting and greening of urban areas Conservation of nature Public open space Etc, etc Issues to be determined by the participants here Institutional mechanisms for implementation 29/10/11