doi: 10.3850/S1793924012100158

Climate Change Adaptation and Freshwater Resource in Malaysia: Creating a Culture of Intellectualism

Sharifah Munirah Alatas Strategic Studies and International Relations Program, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities,
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Southeast Asia Disaster Prevention Research Institute (SEADPRI-UKM),
Universiti Kebangsaan, Malaysia. smlatas@streamyx.com alatas@ukm.my

ABSTRACT

This paper is a discussion of the influence of the culture of intellectualism on conceptions of, and behavior towards climate change adaptation in Malaysia. We illustrate how certain conceptions of the relation of human beings to the natural environment, mainly freshwater resources, may lead to policy formulation, which in turn, if implemented wisely, will ensure freedom from problems relating to either the damaging excesses or scarcity of freshwater resources. We also discuss the role of the culture of intellectualism as a generator of useful coping strategies, in the context of environmental depletion, particularly relating to freshwater resources.

Keywords: Climate change adaptation, Freshwater resources, Cultural intellectualism.

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