Forest protection and air pollution control from open burning: application of prescribed burning under environmental law in Malaysia
There is a possible connection between the control of forest fire and open burning with the protection of air quality. In the case of Malaysia, activities relating to open burning have been identified to be among the contributors of air pollution and haze phenomenon that are causing a deteriorat...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Conference or Workshop Item |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor (KUIS)
2017
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/57215/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/57215/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/57215/2/pasak%20presentation%202017.pdf http://irep.iium.edu.my/57215/12/57215_Forest%20protection%20and%20air%20pollution_Maizatun.pdf |
| Summary: | There is a possible connection between the control of forest fire and open
burning with the protection of air quality. In the case of Malaysia,
activities relating to open burning have been identified to be among the
contributors of air pollution and haze phenomenon that are causing a
deteriorating quality of the atmosphere. However, a total prohibition on
open burning may not be practicable in the context of Malaysia due to
various factors including that concerning land-use practices. In this
region, the land-use systems are relying on open burning as one of the
methods of land clearing. Some agricultural and farming processes
especially among the smallholders and subsistence farmers are still based
on the traditional method of using fire. For the policy makers, these are
factors that need to be taken into consideration when formulating a law on
open burning in order to strike a balance between land-use management
and environmental protection. For this reason, this paper seeks to
highlight status of forest fires and open burning, and to examine the
application of prescribed burning within environmental law in Malaysia
which is considered a suitable tool for management practice in forest and
other land-use policy. The paper argues that prescribed burning, if strictly
performed, can help harmonise different interests and help accomplish the
target of forest protection and air pollution control in accordance with
acceptable legal parameters. |
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