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Kedah may be largely underwater by 2100 due to climate change

Kedah, once held as the greatest and earliest kingdom on the Malay Peninsula, may be largely underwater at the end of the century unless proactive measures are taken now to prevent it.

Earlier this month, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said an international scientific research done by experts showed that most of the Asia Pacific islands will be submerged underwater by 2100. This includes certain coastal areas of peninsula Malaysia, and the most heavily affected state will be Kedah.

This international scientific research finding is actually not new as it was released in 2010. The other states that will be affected are Kelantan, Sabah and Sarawak. Moreover, Malaysia has a long shoreline with many of our cities located near the coast.

This global mean sea level rise is caused by the warming of the ocean, loss of ice by glaciers and ice sheets, as well as reduction of liquid water storage on land.

Currently, the rate of global mean sea-level rise is approximately 3mm per year and it has accelerated compared to the mean in the 20th century, which is approximately 2mm per year. However, this rate varies according to location.

A report by the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM) stated that the regional sea level rise in Malaysia is expected to be higher, owing to local climate and topographical conditions.

Until recent decades, the term climate change and global warming were foreign words to us. The change is due to efforts made to address the issues by activists, scientists, and many of us who fight to raise environmental awareness. Besides, much debate has taken place on whether human activities have contributed to the climate change or not.

Previously in 2007, as internationally accepted authority in climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), had produced the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) that stated the rise in global mean sea level in the latter half of 20th century is very likely cause by human-induced global warming.

Later in 2014, the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) by IPCC concluded that there is a clear human influence on the climate change and it has been the dominant cause of observed warming since 1950.

Both of these reports have influenced the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in November last year that led to the global pact, the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement dealing with greenhouse gases emissions mitigation will start in 2020 after the Kyoto Protocol second commitment period end.

Sea level rise is probably the most damaging results of climate change, but not many people understand the risk it carries. The impacts of this sea level rise can include destruction of assets and disruption to economic sectors, loss of human lives, mental health effects, loss on plants, animals, and also the ecosystem.

Let’s stop fooling ourselves by thinking that climate change doesn’t affect us and we are not responsible for it. Although the rise in global mean sea level is still just a prediction by scientists, we have already felt other impacts caused by climate change. Phenomena such as floods, droughts, landslides, hurricanes and storm surges are now happening more frequently than before, around the globe.

The response to climate change has to involve individuals, families, students and every part of the society. This is because the action we take today will greatly affect our future generations.

Hopefully the rise in sea level will also raise the people awareness of the danger it carries. Before it is too late, let us take our time and think about a quote said by Voltaire, the French philosopher famous for his wit, “Men argue. Nature acts”.


MOHAMMAD HAFIZZ DZULKIFLI is policy and communication executive, Forum Air Malaysia.

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