Publication Details

Understanding Pressure-State-Response in Governance Assessment—A Case of Two Tropical Reservoirs

Lentic ecosystems such as reservoirs contribute invaluable ecosystem services to support human livelihoods and economic development. Reservoirs are increasingly built for specific provisioning and regulatory purposes such as water supply, energy and flood regulations. This study aims to identify the pressure-state response in two reservoirs in Malaysia based on Ecosystem Services Shared Value Assessment (ESSVA), Integrated Lake Basin Management (ILBM) indicators questionnaires and stakeholder consultations. ESSVA showed that agriculture development was the main pressure contributing stress to Bukit Merah and Chenderoh lake basin and their ecosystem services. ILBM indicators assessments showed that current management practices of the two reservoirs remain economically focused and singular. Scoring on policies indicates that Chenderoh Lake Basin is moving towards long-term outcomes. Institutions were the strongest pillars in place to support conservation efforts, however, adequate financing needs to be enhanced to support basin management including participation from various stakeholders. The governance assessment suggested a few responses to be undertaken by various agencies to address the pressure influencing the ecosystem state of the lakes.