Accurate info needed to manage natural resources?
Tourism Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun wants the interlinking social and ecological systems in Sabah to be thoroughly investigated. He said this was important for gathering accurate information that could be used in properly managing the State’s natural resources, which were the key element in the development of Sabah’s tourism industry.
“We are well known for our rich cultural heritage, but a lot more could be done to examine how the socio-ecological systems have been evolving over a long time in our history.
“Perhaps, such information, if collected and investigated, can help in formulating strategies for successful management of at least the key environmental resources,” said Masidi in his speech for the International Annual Seminar on Marine Science and Aquaculture here, yesterday.
The text of his speech was read by Assistant Minister Datuk Ellron Angin, who officiated at the seminar on his behalf.
Masidi said the State Government wanted to make knowledge-based decisions on environmental management for human welfare and mitigating the effects of climate changes.
However, since socio-ecological systems were complex, he said serious analysis and expert opinions were necessary for examining the issues at stake and formulating policies.
“In this connection, I support innovative scientific information as well as lessons from the past. I certainly would like to see that our decisions today have elements of long term sustainability and will in no way become a negative legacy for future scenarios,” he added.
He said scientific evidences suggesting that the climate is changing and ocean ecosystems are undergoing changes as a result, have implications for policies and strategies for responding to the unfolding situations.
This, he added, calls for smart policy decisions at the global level, involving all countries, but while there were serious discussions the countries involved have not walked the talk.
Fortunately in Malaysia, said Masidi, there has been a rapidly growing attention towards environmental conservation, and because of the country’s vast coastline, the concern over climate changes on marine ecosystem was also growing.
He stressed that the government was serious about marine biodiversity and was trying to expand the marine protected areas, control the destructive fishing practices, and increase rehabilitation efforts.
“I intend to support the development of new perspectives of socio-ecological systems which respond to climate as well as social and economic stresses.
“We need to have sufficient information on this aspect, to evolve optimum strategies for managing ecosystems on sustainable basis. Human activities and ecological systems are evolving entities but the direction they take need to adapt to changing realities,” he said.
Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/03/14/accurate-info-needed-to-manage-natural-resources/#ixzz1pdypWP3N
