Awareness and Adaptation Responses on Climate Change in Malaysia

https://doi.org/10.36777/jag2023.2.2.3

Abstract

Climate change awareness is essential for developing countries to achieve sustainable development and strengthen their capacity to respond to climate-related challenges. A major barrier to effective climate change adaptation in developing countries is insufficient public awareness of climate risks and their potential impacts. This study therefore assesses Malaysians’ awareness of climate change impacts and their preparedness to adapt to these challenges. The findings are based on an online survey conducted among Malaysian citizens, focusing on their level of climate change awareness and perceptions of preparedness for climate change adaptation. The results indicate a relatively high level of awareness, with the highest mean score reaching 4.29, corresponding to an agree-to-strongly-agree response. In contrast, the highest mean score for preparedness was 3.76, ranging from neutral to agree. Despite the relatively high level of climate change awareness among Malaysians, most respondents perceived that neither they nor the government were fully prepared to address the impacts of climate change in Malaysia. The findings highlight the need for the government to strengthen institutional capacity and develop more effective mechanisms for implementing climate change adaptation strategies.