ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION. case study of Pulau Pinang -Hill top destroyed !!!

what is environment?
The environment is the complex set of physical, geographic, biological, social, cultural and political conditions that surround an individual or organism and that ultimately determine its form and the nature of its survival. 
(The World Bank 2013)

what is conservation?  (SharAmbrosia, 2008-2013)
Conservation is the protection and management of the environment, natural habitats, wildlife species, or ecosystems.  Conservation emphasizes wise human use of resources: the areas, plants, or animals are protected and maintained for current and future human use and benefit.  Conservation may include restoring damaged ecosystems, preventing further degradation of resources, reversing habitat loss, and preventing further population declines of threatened and endangered species.

Conservation is different with Preservation! 

what is preservation? (SharAmbrosia, 2008-2013)
Preservation is the protection of nature with little to no human disturbance.  The ecosystems, habitats, or wildlife species are protected for their own benefit. It is the goal of preservation to keep the plants, animals, ecosystems, or habitats in their original state or ‘pristine condition’, and to protect nature from human development.  In preservation, there is restricted to little to no management, and little human disturbance of the ecosystem or species.  The areas, plants, and animals are generally protected in the current state they are in.

For me, environmental conservation mean human wisely distribute resources while maintaining environment where the environment is encompassed built environment (i.e. colonial building), natural environment (i.e. forest) and cultural (i.e. traditional dances) where these aspect must be protect in order to achieve sustainable development. However, we seem more focusing in natural environment than the built environment and cultural. 

In my opinion, sustainable development is the ability of next generations in satisfy their need without worrying although the expansion or improvement is ongoing day-by-day to satisfying current human need.  In other words, it’s defined as the wisdom management by human towards the natural resource in term of quality and quantity and also the economic efficiency. The main aim is, to ensure that the natural resources able to use by human in the very long term.

I'm sure that every human know that our natural resources were been fast finished then our expectation if we didn't protect and control the usage. However, they are still a part of them tend to exploit our mother earth. In this economic-oriented world, some of them are willing to exploit it merely due to the profit making opportunities.     

The latest issues, destruction of the Bukit Gambier hill top even thought it has 110 metres above sea level with slopes of gradient greater than 25 degrees.  The Bukit Gambier project had been approved by Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP) as a housing area. The Beverly Height project, 17 bungalows priced at RM4.8m-RM6.3m will be constructing on the hill. The approved building plan is MPPP/OSC/PB(3251)/10(LB).

The plan had been approved by government itself .
http://www.epbt.gov.my/osc/Borang_info.cfm?ID=161306&NoForm=Form3

But, according to Rancangan Struktur Negeri Pulau Pinang 2020, development of housing, hotels, resorts, commercial and industry is not allowed on hill land which been gazetted under the Akta Pemuliharaan Tanah 1960, and the land above 250 feet and or with greater than 25 degrees.So, who should we pointing out above this issue? Are they didn't know the impact? 

The impact on land is great upon our environment especially the forest ecosystem, water catchment area. The hill cutting has causing severe soil erosion. Thus, the later earth work for hosing and road construction will intensify the erosion level. Besides that, the hill clearing progress is directly destroying the biological diversity. The habitat of animal species affected through the tree cutting. The water catchment area spoiled as well due to the clearing of vegetation activities.  

Thus the safeness of surrounding residents threatened. The severe soil erosion then will bring to landslide especially after heavy downpour. In related to that action, the retaining wall of Bukit Gambier was collapse due to the landslide incident where this added its dangerous level upon surrounding residents. 

Bukit Gambier hill destruction 

http://anilnetto.com/economy/development-issues/bukit-gambir-waterfall-turns-murky-an-early-warning/

Why are the state government, the MPPP, the Forestry Department, the Department of Environment approved the OSC meeting and approved the zoning conversion? The engineers, site inspectors and planners was confirmed the site condition with without any concern or comment?  The Environment Impact Assessment and Social Impact Assessment report are done and they are passed?

Logically it would not been passed, I pretty confirm. Maybe there is political or corruption issues have involved inside. This kind of issues is happened again; destruction of Bukit Relau hill top. How the responsibility and capable of related parties in solving this such kind of issues?          

references:

SharAmbrosia (2008-2013). Eco Living: Conservation and Preservation. 

[Online] http://www.allnaturalbeauty.com/articles/eco-living/733-eco-living-conservation-and-preservation

The World Bank Group (2013). 

[Online] http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTABOUTUS/0,,contentMDK:23262083~pagePK:51123644~piPK:329829~theSitePK:29708,00.html

INCREASE of World POPULATION

source: http://livinggreenmag.com/2013/07/11/people-solutions/sustainability-and-the-world-population-what-is-our-global-limit/

In 2013,

One birth every 8 seconds          

One death every 12 seconds

There are over 78 million of human sharing on this planet 

World population growth through time and space. 
Is the earth able to endure the increased? 
How about human? They able to live healthy within the congested situation? 
However, currently there are few issues occurring :-

1. Natural Resources

Population volume and distribution getting high and high where directly increase their demand upon resources and also new ground is getting lesser for human settlements development. Then, new ground especially forest being destroyed for development, the natural habitat and ecosystem also were influenced. The consequences, new ground opened mean lesser the natural resources available. Population growth linearly but the natural resources supplies plummet. Inefficient uses of natural resources have affected their quantity as well as quality such as food and water thus brought to health problem.

2. Climate Change

Green area being destroyed due to development intensifying with the high emission of gasses specifically carbon dioxide from human activity (industry and transportation) which all of these will brought effect to our earth. The most obviously is global climate change; ice caps are melting, sea level increasing, world temperature increasing and this erratic weather are affecting crops, food quality, drinking water availability and food production. Certain areas is hottest and happen droughts while rainfall level is higher which cause floods in others area where the unpredictable environmental changes have lead to big effect especially agricultural patterns due to long-term climate imbalances, and result in increased prices and availability of food world-wide.

Currently they are million people unable fulfil their food needs and soon they might be contributing to ‘environmental refugee’ or ‘climate migrant’ movements thus country’s growth and population’s health affected.  

Grinnell Glacier: changes in Grinnell Glacier, 1918-2006

Souce: http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/109643/A-series-of-photographs-of-the-Grinnell-Glacier-taken-from?topicId=235402

 3.Health

Safe water and health

For the 1.9 billion children from the developing world, there are:

400 million with no access to safe water (1 in 5)

270 million with no access to health services (1 in 7)

1.4 million die each year from lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation

Quality of life of world population is decreasing due to the changes of natural environment. Right of human threatened especially vulnerable group that unaffordable to access to clean water, have adequate sanitation and health service. These are the right of every human being which there are just basic and simple things in order to produce a healthy society.

4. Food Security

Around 27-28% of all children in developing countries are estimated to be underweight or stunted. 

UN warns of looming worldwide food crisis in 2013

• Global grain reserves hit critically low levels

• Extreme weather means climate 'is no longer reliable'

• Rising food prices threaten disaster and unrest

So, which mean the world’s growing food crisis already exists!

Farmers are not producing as much as human are consuming thus the food stocks are being run down due to the unequally supplies and demand. This problem intensifying with the erratic weather that threatening the food production. Harvests badly because extreme heat weather thus this will contributing to sent prices spiralling where the consumer especially the poor people are unaffordable to access it.  

5. Poverty 

Over three billion people (almost half of the world population) is live on less than $2.50 (RM7.96) a day.

Three in every four rural people living on less than US$1 a day (RM3.18)

According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. 

The poor people are always the group who unable to access to clean water, food, health services and school. 

references:
Global Issues 1998-2013
[Online] http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats

Living Green Magazine 2013
[Online] http://livinggreenmag.com/2013/07/11/people-solutions/sustainability-and-the-world-population-what-is-our-global-limit/

Global Britannica 2013
[Online] http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/109643/A-series-of-photographs-of-the-Grinnell-Glacier-taken from?topicId=235402

World Bank Development Indicator 2008

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

US Census Bureau 2011

City Development Strategies (CDS) in achieving sustainable urban development

CITY

Based on the United Nations (1996-2013) websites, it describes that city is a center of economic and technological growth as well as the cultural. However there are always issues occur in city, for example urban violence, urban poverty, climate change, social unequal, slums, homelessness, health problems, pollution and more due to the impacts of globalization, decentralization of responsibilities and rapid population growth (Cities Alliance, 2005) which all of these will brought effect on the economy, social, environmental.

SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT (SUD)

SUD is a concept that response to the city’s challenge (globalization, decentralization of responsibilities and rapid population growth) while resolving the occurred issues in concerning economic, environmental, social and governance role (Malkina-Pykh, 2002).

There are two concepts in SUD which are:-

1.   Urban sustainability or sustainable city that enhances the conservation and preservation of the natural resources with encouraging use of renewable resources so that the city free from environmental issues (Roy, 2009).

2.      Sustainable urban development or sustainable urbanization as a process that achieve balancing in aspects of economic, environmental, social and governance for producing a city that livable, productive, competitive and inclusive (Whitehead, 2003).

CITY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES (CDS)

CDS is an urban strategy planning that involved participatory process that planned by local stakeholder in order to achieving their city’s vision, analyse city’s development plan and identify the development priorities (World Bank, 2000) and promote sustainability in cities.  

CDS is flexible and different in each city because it functions depending on the definition, context, location and the stakeholders involved. For instances, below is the different organization that apply different themes.

figure 1: CDS themes by different organization.

WORLD BANK (2000)
Themes	Main Focus
Livability	-Poverty Reduction -Social Equality & Security -Healthy Environment -Political Accountability
Competitiveness	-Attract Investment -Good Business Climate -Promote City Product -Provide Job Employment for Poor -Satisfy Citizens Needs
Good governance & Management	-Citizens Participation -Accountability & Transparency of Government
Bankability	-Sustainable & Adequate Financial Resources -Good Financial Management

figure 2 : CDS themes by The World Bank; 2000.

CITY ALLIANCES (2006)
Themes	Main Focus
Livelihood	-Business Climate & Capacity Creating Small-Business -Urban Competitiveness that Create Economic Cluster -Human Resource Development to Reduce Poverty
Environmental Sustainability and Energy Efficiency	-Environmental Quality, e.g. Air & Water Quality -Service Delivery (Geographical Coverage, Accessibility & Affordability) - Energy Efficient
Spatial Form & Infrastructure	-Sufficiency Of Infrastructure -Urban Form Planning
Financial Resources	-Financial Analysis -Revenue Diversity -Expenditure Regulation -Cash-Flow Management, -Financial Planning & Budgeting
Governance	-Relationship with Decision Makers -Help Low-Income & Vulnerable Group

                                           figure 3 : CDS themes by The Cities Alliance; 2006.

references:

S. Mostafa R., Nurwati B., Mastura J. (2011) City Development Strategies (CDS) and Sustainable

Urbanization in Developing World. Elsevier B.V. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies(cE-Bs), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 36 ( 2012 ) 623 – 631

United Nations (1996-2013). What is a city? 

[Online] Available at: http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/habitat/units/un01txt.asp 

—Whitehead, Mark. 2003. (Re) Analyzing the Sustainable City: Nature, Urbanization and the Regulation of Socio-environmental Relations in the UK. Urban Studies 40:1183–1206.

—Cities Alliance. 2006a. 2006 Annual Report.

—Cities Alliance. 2006b. Guide to City Development Strategies: Improving Urban Performance Washington D.C.: The Cities Alliance.

—Malkina-Pykh, Irina G. 2002. Integrated assessment models and response function models: pros and cons for sustainable development indices design. Ecological Indicators 2:93-108.

—Roy, Manoj. 2009. Planning for sustainable urbanization in fast growing cities: Mitigation and adaptation issues addressed in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Habitat International 33:276-286. 

The World Bank. (2000). Cities in Transition. Washington, D.C.: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / THE WORLD BANK.