Malaysia case study

• 67% of Malaysia is covered in rainforest
• Logging - when areas of forest are cleared to transport trees to sawmills and sell them for timber
• 80% of deforestation in Malaysia is due to logging
• Causes of deforestation:

  Logging

  Road building

  Energy development

  Mineral extraction

  Settlement

  Commercial Farming

  Subsistence farming
• A road system was built in Sarawak to bring in machinery
• Road building - logging requires roads to be built so logs can be transported
• Energy development - Dams are built across a valley to interrupt river flow, they can create cheap renewable energy.
• In 2011 - the Bakum dam was built in Sarawak to provide electricity
• The Sarawak dam costed $2 billion to build
• The Sarawak's dam reservoir has flooded over 700km^2 of forest
• Mineral extraction - rainforests are cleared to mine minerals and construct roads to transport minerals out of the area
• Drilling for oil and gas started in the area in 2015
• Settlement - when people move into the countryside, houses need to built.
• Transmigration between 1956 and 1980's caused 15000 hectares of rainforest to be cut
• Commercial farming - farming for profit, often using chemicals and artificial fertilisers
• land in being cleared for commercial farming and plantation owners are offered 10 year tax incentives
• Subsistence farming - farming for food and other basic needs.
• Env. impacts of deforestation - soil erosion
• Env. impacts of deforestation - contribution to climate change
• 28% of the worlds oxygen comes from rainforests
• Economic (gains) impacts - creation of jobs.
• Individuals and companies have to pay taxes which can be used to improve public services
• Malaysia's GNI per capita has increased by $18000 since 1990
• Economic (gains) impacts - hydro-electric power can provide renewable cheap energy.
• The Bakum Dam supplies 3400MW of electricity
• Economic (loses) impacts - loss of tourism
• The number of people attracted to rainforests will decreases if deforestation continues
• Economic (loses) impacts - impact on farming
• Average temperature in Malaysia is 28-30 degrees, however it could increase to 40 degrees
• High temperatures mean they cannot grow most fruits