GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Green Council (PGC) has concurred that low-lying areas in Seberang Prai could become part of the sea if nothing is done to tackle the effects of climate change.
However, the state agency, which is tasked with nurturing, facilitating and coordinating environmental issues in Penang, believes that this could happen by the year 2100, and not within a decade as claimed.
Commenting on reports that parts of the mainland could be underwater within a decade due to climate change, PGC general manager Josephine Tan Mei Ling said the rising sea level remained a concern for the state.
PGC, she said, had published a desktop review report on Penang Climate Impact in 2020 that detailed the potential negative implications of climate change for the state.
"The report indicated that a large part of the mainland along the coast, which are currently padi planting areas, would be underwater by 2100.
"We also saw evidence of temperature rise and the increase of rainwater intensity in Penang, which will lead to more severe drought and flood incidents.
"All these will have an impact on Penang's food and water security," she told the New Straits Times (NST).
In an exclusive interview with the NST recently, Universiti Sains Malaysia's Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies honorary professor, Professor Datuk Dr Zulfigar Yasin, said Kepala Batas and Juru could become part of the sea within a decade.
He had said that it would be worse for neighbouring Kedah. He had noted that many of these critical areas on low-lying grounds were padi-growing land.
The World Bank, in a study, had put the historical sea level rise over the period 1993 to 2015 at around 3.3mm per year east of Malaysia and around 5mm per year west of Malaysia.
It said rising sea levels are predicted to have significant negative impacts for Malaysia's coastal zone, with the most impact felt in the east coast.
It was suggested that by 2040, potentially all of Malaysia's mangrove zone could become submerged and by 2060, sea level rise might impact the country's industrial zones.
With a one-metre of sea level rise, around 7,000km2 of coastal land would be at risk. Approximately six per cent of palm oil production and four per cent of rubber production is currently at risk from sea level rise.
Commenting on the World Bank's forecast, Tan said it was crucial for Penang to prepare for the impact of climate change.
"Penang is making long-term plans to increase climate resilience through better land use planning and tackling food and water security."
She said Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow had in 2018 introduced the Penang 2030 Vision back, aimed at turning Penang into a "Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation".
The Penang government, through PGC, also launched the Penang Green Agenda (PGA) 2030 in 2021.
PGA, she said, had roped in technical experts and scientists to look into sustainability aspects of the state, including developing sustainability indicators.
"The agenda uses a bottom-up approach by engaging stakeholders and the people of Penang to identify and combat the current and future environmental challenges of the state, proposing feasible solutions."
Tan said the Penang government had raised the issue of climate change in public discourse and, together with its two local councils, were taking a range of actions to deal with the challenge of climate change (both mitigation and adaptation), which included:
l State tree-planting target and activities (Penang has planted 500,364 trees since 2008 until now);
l Promoting green buildings. The Penang Island City Council has come up with rebates for yearly assessment tax for buildings that achieve four and five stars in the Building Energy Index rating;
l Nature-based adaptation plan with US$10 million funding from the Adaptation Fund;
l Subsidies for public transport such as free buses and boat passes;
l Promoting energy efficiency (The city council's rebates for energy efficient buildings);
l Gazettement of mangrove forests as permanent forest reserves (nearly 1,000ha of state and public land);
l Recycling rate (51.18 per cent in 2021);
l Promoting renewable energy by starting with the installation of solar panels on government buildings;
l Disaster risk and management unit establishment under the Penang State Secretary's office.
On PGC's part, Tan said they played a role in generating awareness and conversations within the government as well as among the public on addressing climate change issues.
"We see ourselves as a 'bridge' between the government and communities. We carry out road shows, provide eco-talks, green awards (such as green kindergartens, green schools, green journalism and green offices), organise training courses for youth as well as public servants and recommend policy options to the Penang government.
""PGC is also leading the formulation of the Penang Green Agenda 2030 launched in 2021, which provided a framework for Penang to achieve sustainable development by 2030."
Tan said both the state and local governments should lead in identifying credible and severe climate threats and formulate action plans to tackle and adapt to climate change.
"The government should also encourage public discourse and education on this issue.
"Ideally, all major development plans should show how they will impact on climate change as well as how they adapt to climate impact.
"Ultimately, tackling climate change requires the participation of everyone (not just the government) as it involves long-term behavioural change, and the public are holding policymakers accountable for their decisions that will impact on future generations.
"No man is an island, each of us has a role to play to ensure we do not pass the world beyond repair to our next generations."