The Penang
Nature-Based
Climate
Adaptation
Programme
The PNBCAP takes on a comprehensive and collaborative approach, incorporating a diverse set of components addressing both the environmental and social dimensions of climate change in Penang’s urban fabric.
A combination of increased urbanisation, heavy rain, high tides and storm surges results in floods as stormwater is unable to discharge into the sea or infiltrate into the ground table.
The two factors:
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Urban Greening
Stormwater Management
Social Resilience
Institutional Capacity
This component focuses on reducing the impacts of increasing temperatures by introducing green elements which help in the overall reduction of urban heat island effect and urban temperatures.
Existing Conditions
Warming areas within the George Town World Heritage Site and Bayan Lepas due to an increase in hard surfaces of built forms and bitumen roads.
Significant increase of 1.5°C in the mean temperature in Bayan Lepas between 1951 – 2018.
Sharp increase in maximum and minimum surface temperatures of 8.7 °C and 2.4 °C respectively between 1988 and 2019 in George Town.
Deficit of 1,203 hectares of green and open space in Penang Island. ( based on population figures for 2017 and the national standard of 20m2 per capita)
Inadequate shading along the streets of George Town and Bayan Lepas
Proposals
To introduce new tree-lined streets in George Town and Bayan Lepas and complete the alignment of existing street trees to provide sufficient shade.
To convert vacant parks into pocket parks with microclimate-oriented design in order to reduce hard surfaces and add shade.
To introduce trees in car parks for shading and reduction of UHI effect in the Bayan Lepas manufacturing zone. The introduction of trees in these spaces will ensure parking spaces are reduced by no more than 10%.
Comprising 2 sub-projects, namely green facades and green rooftops, which will be developed as a grants programmes.
To implement urban agriculture and the relevant training sessions in several identified vacant spaces through a grants programme
Responding to the increasing rainfall and frequency of flooding events in Penang Island, the programme also sets out a comprehensive nature-based approach to stormwater management.
The Sungai Ara Linear Park in Bayan Lepas, Penang, has proven to be a successful pilot project for a blue-green corridor due to the involvement of the local community. The park was adopted by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage under a taskforce which consisted of the Penang Island City Council, Seberang Prai Municipal Council, Department of Environment, Land and District office, State Health Department, Indah Water Konsortium and the Penang Green Council.
The association of green spaces with rivers is essential as it allows for the infiltration of stormwater to the groundwater table through increased water retention capacity.
Blue-Green CorridorsThis approach calls for rivers to be kept free from hard materials and its margins modelled in different levels /platforms to constrain and regulate the path of water, protecting neighbouring urbanised areas.
Swales are vegetated open drains that collect stormwater whilst allowing for its infiltration to the groundwater table along its full extension. This approach reduces the accumulation of stormwater downstream, which in the case of heavy rainfall often leads to flooding.
Infiltration wells are solutions used for heavily urbanised areas as they provide stormwater retention and fast infiltration to the groundwater table using several deep layers of aggregates of different dimensions.
Upstream retention ponds are areas used to retain stormwater and facilitate the process of infiltration into the groundwater table to avoid stormwater runoff to downstream areas.
This approach is particularly crucial in Penang whereby the existing drainage system is threatened by high tides and storm surges.
The social resilience component has a strong community-focused approach, engaging with the most vulnerable groups of society in order to assess vulnerabilities in a collaborative effort. Vulnerability assessments and targeted action plans for the communities of George Town and Bayan Lepas will be initiated in the early phase of the programme, laying the groundwork for enhancing climate change resilience.
The social resilience component comprises 2 specific programmes, which are the women and girls programme and the youth and schools programme.
A. Women and Girls Programme
The women and girls programme aims to reduce gender vulnerability asymmetry and strengthen capacity within existing agencies. It is structured around 4 sub-components which direct the flow of the programme.
Advocacy of women empowerment in climate-related issues through various communication campaigns.
Co-production of educational/training modules, tools, and adaptation resources on various topics from extreme heat to urban agriculture with women NGOs to address gender-specific climate threats.
Provide support, access to information and training for women leadership through peer support networks.
Creation of a climate and environmental advocacy forum for women to discuss gender-specific risks, policies and actions.
Adopting the 40:40:20 ratio as a benchmark allocation of a minimum 40% women representation in the committee of the Penang Climate Board.
B. Youth and Schools Programme
The youth and schools programme is focused on educating youth on climate change risks & mitigation strategies.
School lectures on climate change supplemented with various competitions, workshops and educational site visits.
Initiation of a Sustainable Schools Programme.
Development of training modules on sustainable energy, allowing for participants to connect with prospective employers in the renewable energy industry.
Internship opportunities for young people in river monitoring.
Advocacy of women empowerment in climate-related issues through various communication campaigns.
As the programme will pioneer the use of nature based solutions in Malaysia, it is crucial that it includes a strong knowledge codification component. Institutional capacity will be built through a knowledge management platform, the creation of the Penang Climate Board and a public health programme.
Knowledge Management Platform
Database Set-up
Create a database of the programme’s scientific and technical framework
Monitoring
Collate and evaluate the results on the database
Dissemination
Create a website for collecting all programme’s methodologies, assessments and information for dissemination to other cities
Knowledge
Creation
Knowledge
Transfer
Knowledge
Application
Penang
Island
Knowledge Transfer Platform
Other Cities In Malaysia & ASEAN Region
Coordination
A coordinated response to climate-related risks is prioritised through the development of an operational framework
Policy Integration
A standard proceeding is developed, centralising all issues and responses related to climate change
