Urbanization and multiple-scales environmental challenges in Malaysia

This chapter discusses the interrelationships between urbanization and some aspects of environmental change and challenges at various scales. It examines the impact of deforestation on Malaysia's rich flora and fauna, as well as on the forest-dwelling indigenous peoples. The chapter presents the water consumption pattern in one of the most urbanized states that is, Penang and its impact on the surrounding hinterland. It highlights emerging trends of inter-dependency between resources, or resource nexus at the river basin level. The chapter also discusses a suite of environmental challenges facing cities in Malaysia. Despite the linkages between the national-state river-basin city scales, policy- and decision-making on the environment remain fragmented with many outstanding challenges to integrating environmental concerns into urban management practices. River basins in Peninsular Malaysia are confronting increasing water demand, riverbank encroachment, industrial pollution, environmentally damaging sand mining activities, and upstream land clearing projects.