Y9 Geography - Malaysia case study

Causes (4)

commercial farming, logging, subsistence farming, road building

Commercial farming (forest…plantations…demand+…)

forest cleared for palm oil plantations due to global demand + high profits

Logging (valuable … extracted)

valuable hardwood timber extracted

Subsistence farming (…-scale shifting … by … poverty)

small‑scale shifting cultivation by local communities due to poverty

Road building (roads built … → …)

roads built for logging/mining that increase access → multiplier for future deforestation

Environmental impacts (3)

loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, climate change Loss of biodiversity

Loss of biodiversity example (1999)

More than half of orangutans in Borneo perished since 1999. The rest have to live in deforested hazy barren wasteland

Soil erosion + nutrient leaching

canopy removed → heavy rain washes nutrients away → soil becomes infertile

Climate change

burning releases CO₂

fewer trees absorb CO₂ → contributes to global warming

Social inpacts (2)

indigenous displacement, health inpacts

Indigenous displacement

forest communities lose land, homes, resources → conflict

Health impacts

haze from burning worsens respiratory illness

water quality declines

Economic benefits (x+y) - jobs + foreign income

Benefits (short

medium term)-

Jobs + foreign income - plantations + logging create employment and export revenue → boosts Malaysia’s GDP

Economic Losses (long term) (2)

ecotourism loss, haze health costs

Ecotourism loss

damaged rainforest reduces tourism potential → GDP loss

Haze health costs

respiratory illness increases national healthcare spending → GDP loss

Local political impacts (2)

weak enforcement, conflict

Weak enforcement

illegal logging/burning due to poor monitoring

Conflict

disputes between communities, companies, and government over land rights

National political impacts (2)

policy changes, public pressure

Policy changes

protected areas, logging restrictions, monitoring systems

Public pressure

voters demand action after haze/flooding

International political impacts (2)

reputation, trade pressure

Reputation

deforestation harms Malaysia’s global image

Trade pressure

buyers demand sustainable palm oil/timber

Strategies (3) - sustainable logging, ecotourism, education

Sustainable logging

selective logging + replanting to reduce damage

Ecotourism

forest becomes more valuable standing than cleared

Education

helps communities reduce reliance on subsistence farmin