Mitigating the implication of offshore oil and gas activities on the marine environment in Malaysia: Some measures through environmental impact assessment

• Main Authors: Mustafa M., Mukhtar K.A., Mohd. Hazmi M.R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: Environmental law; Environmental impact assessment; Marine pollution; Oil and gas activities
• Online Access: http://ddms.usim.edu.my:80/jspui/handle/123456789/15356

Malaysia's maritime sector plays an important role in the country's economic growth and development. Specifically, petroleum and gas constitute the single largest export commodity and contribute significantly to the economy. On the other hand, the downside of petroleum development has left adverse impact on the marine environment. As a developing country as well as a petroleumproducing nation, Malaysia faces a critical challenge in seeking to balance between protection of the environment, and economic development of oil and gas. Dealing with this challenge means finding a strategy that can take into consideration the importance of both needs. One mechanism implemented in Malaysia as a mandatory legislative requirement on oil and gas activities is that of environmental impact assessment (EIA). Principal purposes of this paper are to highlight the processes of EIA under the law, and to identify their significance in mitigating adverse environmental impacts from oil and gas activities. This paper argues a strong case for the application of EIA for countries like Malaysia as a measure to achieve the balance between economic development and environmental protection.