UPSI Digital Repository (UDRep)
Start | FAQ | About
Menu Icon

QR Code Link :

Type :article
Subject :H Social Sciences (General)
Main Author :Haliza Abdul Rahman
Title :Malaysian youth and environmental sustainability: a review
Place of Production :Tanjong Malim
Publisher :Fakulti Sains Kemanusiaan
Year of Publication :2020
Corporate Name :Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris

Abstract : Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris
Climate change, deforestation, land degradation, and pollution are some of the environmental concerns that threaten the health of the planet, humans, and other living things. The youth will have to live with the adverse effects of these environmental threats and will be decision-makers in the future. As a result, they have to be actively involved in environmental issues to ensure ecological sustainability, which has become a national and global priority. In Malaysia, youth make up 45.8% of the total population and are emerging change agents in driving the economic change of the country. Thus, this article examines whether youths in Malaysia have a high awareness of the environment and a positive environmental attitude. They need to have a high level of environmental awareness and participation, where people are placed at the forefront of environmental sustainability initiatives. For methodology, this paper used the qualitative method by analysing and reviewing journal articles, reports, newspaper publications, and other relevant documents. The findings show that Malaysian youth generally have a high level of environmental awareness and generally positive environmental attitudes. However, their level of environmental participation issues seems inadequate. The paper also highlights current youth-based programs implemented by government and non-governmental organizations to involve youth in the environment and proposes strategies to enhance their involvement. This literature review is beneficial to environmentalists, academicians, and environment-based organizations, and government institutions.  

References

Abdul Hadi, K., Ami, H. M. D., Mohd Faiz, P., & Kamaludin, M. O. (2016). Long-term sea-level trend from tidal data in Malaysia. 2016 7th IEEE Control and System Graduate Research Colloquium (ICSGRC). Paper presented at the 2016 7th IEEE Control and System Graduate Research Colloquium (ICSGRC), 187–192.

Abdul Latiff, A., Samsudin, A. R., Latiffah, P., & Fauziah, A. (2012). The understanding of environmental citizenship among Malaysian youths: A study on perception and participation. Asian Social Science, 8(5), 85. https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v8n5p85.

Aini M. S., Nurizan, Y., & Fakhru'l-Razi, A. (2007). Environmental comprehension and participation of Malaysian secondary school students. Environmental Education Research, 13(1), 17–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504620601122616.

Aminrad, Z., Sharifah Zarina, S. Z., Abdul Samad, H., & Sakari, M. (2013). Relationship between awareness, knowledge, and attitudes towards environmental education among secondary school students in Malaysia. World Applied Sciences Journal, 22(9), 1326-1333.

Azilah, K., & Wickens, E. (2020). Exploring youth awareness, intention, and opinion on green travel: The case of Malaysia. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 20(1), 41–55. https://doi.org/10.1177/1467358418781441.

Biak R. (2006). The "Kelab Pencinta Alam Sekitar (Pals)" for schools in Sarawak: An evaluation. Sarawak, Malaysia: Natural Resources and Environment Board.

Browne L.P., Garst B.A., & Bialeschki M.D. (2011). Engaging youth in environmental sustainability: Impact of the Camp 2 Grow Program. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 29(3), 70–85.

Butler, R. A. (2013, 15 November). Malaysia has the world's highest deforestation rate, reveals the Google forest map. Mongabay.

Department of Statistics Malaysia. (2019). Current population estimates, Malaysia. Retrieved from https://www.dosm.gov.my/v1/index.php?r=column [15 June 2020].

D'Odorico, P., He, Y., Collins, S., De Wekker, S.F.J., Engel, V., & Fuentes, J.D. (2013). Vegetation-microclimate feedbacks in woodland-grassland ecotones: Vegetation-microclimate feedbacks. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 22(4), 364–379. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12000.

Gifford, R., & Sussman, R. (2012). Environmental attitudes in the Oxford handbook of environmental and conservation psychology. Oxon: Oxford University Press.

Green Tech Malaysia. (2014). Green Technology Master Plan. Paper presented at the Human Resources Green Skills Malaysia Summit 2014, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Haliza, A. R. (2009). Global climate change and its effects on human habitat and environment in Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Environmental Management, 10(2), 17–32.

Haliza, A. R., & Nur Atiqah, Y. (2015). Knowledge, attitude, and practice towards recycling activity among secondary schools’ students at Hulu Langat, Selangor, Malaysia. Paper presented at the 1st International Conference on Interdisciplinary Development Research, Chiangmai, Thailand.

Hanifah, M., Shaharudin, I., Mohmadisa, H., Nasir, N., & Yazid, S. (2015). Transforming sustainability development education in Malaysian schools through greening activities. Review of International Geographical Education, 5(1): 18.

Hanifah, M., Mohmadisa, H., Yazid, S., Nasir, N., & Saiyidatina Balkhis, N. (2019). Factors influencing eco youth sustainability Activity and practices in Youth City, Muallim, Malaysia. Asia Pacific Social Science Review, 19(4), 154–164.

Haze crisis: Still no breather for much of Malaysia. (2019, 21 September). News Straits Times.

Hollweg, K. S., Taylor, J., Bybee, R.W., Marcinkowski, T.J., McBeth, W.C., & Zoido, P. (2011). Developing a framework for assessing environmental literacy. Washington D. C: North American Association for Environmental Education.

ILO. (2017). Relevant SDG targets related to environment and green jobs. New York: UNDP.

Jamilah, A., Shuhaida, M. N., & Nurzali, I. (2015). Investigating students' environmental knowledge, attitude, practice, and communication. Asian Social Science, 11(16), 284. https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v11n16p284.

Kaswan, V., Choudhary, M., Kumar, P., Kaswan, S., & Bajya, P. (2019). Green production strategies. In: Ferranti, P., Berry, E. M., & Anderson, J. R. (eds). Encyclopaedia of Food Security and Sustainability. New York: Elsevier Inc., 492–500.

Ladan, S. (2004). The phenomenon of land degradation in Nigeria: A review of effects and current solutions. Namoda Tech-Scope Journal, 6: 390–399.

Leoi, S. (2019, July 16). Malaysia is overflowing with waste, and we're running out of options. The Star.

Loubser, C., Noor Azlin, Y., Dreyer, J., & Abdul Nik, A. (2014). The effectiveness of environmental education workshops for teachers, learners, and schools in Malaysia. Environment Development and Sustainability, 16: 1163–1176. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-014-9518-9.

Luber, G. & Prudent, N. (2009). Climate change and human health. Transactions of the American Clinical and Climatological Association, 120: 113–117.

Malaysian Investment Development Authority. (2020). Sustainable waste management in Malaysia: Opportunities and challenges. Retrieved from https://mida.gov.my/home/search?find=Sustainable+Waste+Management+in+Malaysia+%3A+Opportunities+and+Challenges [2 April 2020].

Mboringong, F., & Martha, A. D. (2016). Youth at the forefront of sustainability. CIVICUS. Retrieved from https://www.civicus.org/index.php/media-resources/op-eds/853-youth-at-the-forefront-of-sustainability [27 May 2020].

Morelli, J. (2011). Environmental sustainability: A definition for environmental professionals. Journal of Environmental Sustainability, 1(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.14448/jes.01.0002.

Narksompong, J., & Limjirakan, S. (2015). Youth participation in climate change for sustainable engagement: Youth participation in climate change for sustainable engagement. Review of European, Comparative & International Environmental Law, 24(2), 171–181. https://doi.org/10.1111/reel.12121.

Noraini, S., Abdul Rahim, H., Mohd Asnorhisham, A., & Jaafar, J. (2018). Implication of the sustainable school-environment award program on the environmental literacy level of students. Advanced Science Letters, 24(1), 57–59. https://doi.org/10.1166/asl.2018.11918.

Nordin, F. N., & Saliludin, M. S. (2016). Knowledge, attitude, and practices of recycling and its associated factors among undergraduate students in Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang. Journal of Public Health and Clinical Sciences, 3(6), 154 - 170.

Norfazillah, A. M., Mohd Rizal, A. M., & Rozita, H. (2018). The Malaysia haze and its health economic impact: A literature review. Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine,18 (9).

Norizan, E. (2010). Environmental knowledge, attitude, and practices of student teachers. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 19(1). 39–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382040903545534.

NRE. (2015). Malaysian biennial update to the UNFCC. Putrajaya, Malaysia: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Malaysia:

Nur H. H., Mimi H. H., Zainura Z. N., Denny K. S. N., Nor Harrin, N. H., & Nurazimah M. A. (2019). Analysis of transported pollution and haze-related diseases via HYSPLIT Trajectory Modelling in the urbanized area of Johor, Malaysia. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 373, 012008. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/373/1/012008.

Nur Shafira, Z., Mohd Khairul Amri, K., Mohd Armi, A. S., Ahmad Shakir, M. S., Noorjima, A. W., Muhammad Hafiz, M. S. & Siti Nor Aisyah, M. B. (2019). Environmental pollution and solid waste management in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9(12), 12.

Pandve, H. T., Deshmukh, P. R., Pandve, R. T., & Patil, N. R. (2009). Role of youth in combating climate change. Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 13(2), 105. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5278.55130.

Regional Coordination Mechanism - Group Asia-Pacific Thematic Working Group on Youth United Nations Development. (2015). Switched On -Youth at the heart of sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific. New York: United Nations.

ReliefWeb. (2019). Malaysia: Disaster management reference handbook (June 2019). Retrieved from https://reliefweb.int/report/malaysia/malaysia-disaster-management-reference-handbook-june-2019 [7 May 2020].

Rosta, H., Lim Kuang, H., & Fadhilah, O. (2011). Environmental knowledge and attitude among students in Sabah. World Applied Sciences Journal, 14, 83 - 87.

Rozita, I. (2016). Promoting environmental literacy in Malaysian society: Challenges and opportunities. Jurnal Pengajian Umum, 5: 12.

Sengupta, M., Das, J., & Maji, P. K. (2018). Environmental awareness and environment related behaviour of Twelfth Grade students in Kolkata: Effects of stream and gender. Anwesa, 5, 1–8.

SGP Malaysia. (n.d.). The GEF Small Grants Programme. Retrieved from http://sgpmalaysia.org/. [25 April 2020]. Turns, A. (2010). Meet generation Greta: young climate activists around the world. Retrieved from https://www.environmentaljournalist.co.uk/project/meet-generation-greta-young-climate-activists-around-the-world-guardian/ [20 June 2020].

United Nations. (2019). World population prospects - population division. New York: UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Wan Kalthom, Y. (2020). Engaging youth participation in making sustainability work. Leal Filho W, Wall T, Azul AM, Brandli L, and Özuyar PG (eds). Good Health and Well-Being. New York: Springer International Publishing, 1–10.

Wee, M. I., Fatin Nabilla, A., Foo, N. G., & Ahmad Firdhaus, A. S. (2017). Awareness and attitudes towards sustainable development amongst higher education students in Penang, Malaysia. In: Leal Filho W, Azeiteiro UM, Alves F, and Molthan-Hill P (eds). Handbook of Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development in Higher Education. New York: Springer International Publishing, 49–64.

WWF-Malaysia. (n.d.). Eco-Schools Programme. Retrieved from https://www.wwfmy-esd.com/ecoschoolsprogramme [12 April 2020].

Yayasan Hijau Malaysia. (2017). IGEM 2017 Empowers Malaysia's Youth. Retrieved from http://yahijau.com/igem-2017-empowers-malaysias-youth/ [12 March 2020].

Zurairi, A. R. (2018, October 12). Climate-related natural disasters cost Malaysia RM8b in the last 20 years. Malay Mail.

 


This material may be protected under Copyright Act which governs the making of photocopies or reproductions of copyrighted materials.
You may use the digitized material for private study, scholarship, or research.

Back to previous page

Installed and configured by Bahagian Automasi, Perpustakaan Tuanku Bainun, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris
If you have enquiries, kindly contact us at pustakasys@upsi.edu.my or 016-3630263. Office hours only.