IMPACT OF SEA LEVEL RISE IN PULAU LANGKAWI, KEDAH
The National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM) has been initiated under the "Majlis Sumber Air Negara" (MSAN) study to assess the impacts of sea level rise in Pulau Langkawi, Kedah and to formulate feasible adaptation measures to minimize or mitigate the identified impacts. The study site is at latitude 6.25° to 6.49°N and longitude 99.25° to 99.95°E. Langkawi district covers 104 islands with a total area of 48,237 hectares consists of 4,839 hectares development area, 9,690 hectares cultivated area and forest and vacant land area of 33,708 hectares. This district is divided into 6 mukims which are Kuah, Padang Mat Sirat, Ayer Hangat, Bohor, Ulu Melaka and Kedawang (Laporan Jabatan Audit Negara, 2010). It is now a well known fact that global warming can alter the volume of water in the earth’s ocean. This occurs through the process of thermal expansion that causes the melting and loss of land-based ice and exchange of water between oceans and other water reservoirs such as glaciers, ice sheets, lakes and etc. During recent years (1993- 2003) observations show that thermal expansion and melting of land ice each account for about half of the observed sea level rise (Bindoff et al. 2007). The main objective of this study is to assess the potential hydrodynamic impacts of sea level rise at the study area that has been induced by climate change and global warming. In particular, the study will focus on the projected sea level rise in the years 2040, 2060, 2080 and 2100 and the corresponding impacts and adaptation measures. Changes in sea levels also result in changes in tidal currents and wave climate along the shoreline. In order to assess these changes, numerical models will be used to determine the magnitude of these changes at the respective time frames. By using these numerical modelling outputs, a detailed assessment of the impacts with respect to the physical, ecological and social-economy aspects will be carried out. Finally, recommendations on adaptation measures to minimize the adverse impacts will be tabulated.
Authors
Abstract
The National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM) has been initiated under the "Majlis Sumber Air Negara" (MSAN) study to assess the impacts of sea level rise in Pulau Langkawi, Kedah and to formulate feasible adaptation measures to minimize or mitigate the identified impacts. The study site is at latitude 6.25° to 6.49°N and longitude 99.25° to 99.95°E. Langkawi district covers 104 islands with a total area of 48,237 hectares consists of 4,839 hectares development area, 9,690 hectares cultivated area and forest and vacant land area of 33,708 hectares. This district is divided into 6 mukims which are Kuah, Padang Mat Sirat, Ayer Hangat, Bohor, Ulu Melaka and Kedawang (Laporan Jabatan Audit Negara, 2010). It is now a well known fact that global warming can alter the volume of water in the earth’s ocean. This occurs through the process of thermal expansion that causes the melting and loss of land-based ice and exchange of water between oceans and other water reservoirs such as glaciers, ice sheets, lakes and etc. During recent years (1993- 2003) observations show that thermal expansion and melting of land ice each account for about half of the observed sea level rise (Bindoff et al. 2007). The main objective of this study is to assess the potential hydrodynamic impacts of sea level rise at the study area that has been induced by climate change and global warming. In particular, the study will focus on the projected sea level rise in the years 2040, 2060, 2080 and 2100 and the corresponding impacts and adaptation measures. Changes in sea levels also result in changes in tidal currents and wave climate along the shoreline. In order to assess these changes, numerical models will be used to determine the magnitude of these changes at the respective time frames. By using these numerical modelling outputs, a detailed assessment of the impacts with respect to the physical, ecological and social-economy aspects will be carried out. Finally, recommendations on adaptation measures to minimize the adverse impacts will be tabulated.
Citation
NATIONAL WATER RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF MALAYSIA (NAHRIM). 2013. IMPACT OF SEA LEVEL RISE IN PULAU LANGKAWI, KEDAH . Digital NAHRIM Publication Repository.