Water and Environmental Sustainability Education Linked with Ecotourism in Langkawi Geopark, Malaysia: Initiative Towards Sustainable Development

Abstract

Project on Water and Environmental Sustainability Education linked with Ecotourism in Langkawi Geopark, Malaysia is an initiative carried out by LESTARI, UKM under the UNESCO framework of "Science Harnessed for ASEAN Regional Policy (SHARP)” with Malaysian Fund In Trust (MFIT) financial assistance. Sustainability science as a new emerging field can be a tool to solve a complex environmental anthropogenic issue by promoting an integrated approach of various disciplines, multi scale and across stakeholder. It is a problem driven and solution oriented approach in creating a sustainable society requires the problem solving skills. Thus the establishment of sustainability science demo site in Langkawi Geopark involved integration of the sustainability science concepts into natural resource management frameworks and processes for supporting opportunities for more sustainable and resilient future. This initiative is linked with Education, Ecotourism, Geopark and Local Stakeholders and focused on applying sustainability science principles to strengthen policy, legal and institutional frameworks through collaborative linkages, learning alliances and targeted interventions for capacity building in Langkawi Geopark. The objective of this initiative is to develop the whole Langkawi Geopark as a demonstration site on water and environmental sustainability education linked with ecotourism in Langkawi Geopark, where the functions of stakeholders, ecotourism and ecohydrology is integrated. It is an appropriate initiative because the components of water resources and environment are distributed throughout the Langkawi Geopark and the resources in this island have access and impact on local community. Thus, this approach is suitable in promoting sustainability science as a platform to responds to the future needs in dealing with water and environmental sustainability related issues in Langkawi. Local stakeholders workshop and interview sessions has been conducted with some local government agencies, local authorities, private entities, NGOs and local community. Field data collection and survey on water and environmental quality state condition in Langkawi were also conducted through water sampling and questionnaires distribution to local stakeholders and community in Langkawi. A five (5) ways feasibility framework has been developed and applied in order to demonstrate the sustainability science approach in Langkawi Geopark through multi stakeholders participatory process conducted during the study. The establishment of sustainability science demonstration site in Langkawi managed to illustrate the sustainability science based solutions to solve related issues on water and environmental sustainability in Langkawi Geopark and identified how environmental sustainability best practices can support sustainable development policies at local, national and regional levels.

Keywords: Sustainability Science, Demonstration Site, water, environmental, education, ecotourism, Langkawi Geopark, sustainable development