The Antarctic that keeps about 90 percent of fresh water in the form of water layers, glaciers, and ice blocks cannot escape the negative impact of global warming, which will lead to disasters throughout the world including extreme draught, heat waves, and great floods.

Malaysia’s involvement in the Antarctic research began in 1999 after the Malaysia Antarctic Research Programme (MARP) sent a team of researchers to join a scientific expedition together with researchers from New Zealand

In 2002 the National Antarctic Research Centre (NARC) was established, and the number of researchers from several local universities increased and so did the number of research activities.

In July 2012 Malaysia once again showed that it took seriously the issues involving the Antarctic continent when it set up Sultan Mizan Antarctic Research Foundation (YPSAM(.

Antarctic researcher from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), Dr. Wan Mohd Rauhan Wan Hussin, said every change that happens in the Antarctic continent will impact al the countires in the world including Malaysia.

“The Antarctic has an important indicator of our intriguing planet. Labelled as a natural laboratory, it plays an important role in the Earth’s climate system. The South Sea surrounding the Antartic connects three main ocean basins and the water current and temperature are influenced by the ice in the Antarctic.

“The South Sea is the most powerful carbon sink and absorbs about 30 percent of carbon dioxide produced by humans. Destruction of its ecosystem and biodiversity will lessen its ability to capture carbon, thereby causing an increase in earths’s temperature.

The NARC Deputy Director urges society to disseminate information on the antarctic continent and its importance in people’s lives.

“It is also important to note that Antarctic ice sheets are the largest storage of the earth’s freshwater, equivalent to almost 60m sea level. There will be a great damage if the ice sheets melt.

“To put it in simple terms, what happens at the Antarctic impacts the entire planet including Malaysia.

The Malaysian government’s commitment in becoming part of the countries conducting research at the antarctic continent should be commended.

Malaysia through the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOSTI) and YPASM have contributed funds of more than RM8 million in the form of research grants and scholarships.

Although Malaysia does not an official research base there, the fund it has contributed reflects its aspiration in helping researchers establish networking with scientists from other countries.

Malaysia is among 196 countries that signed the Paris Agreement, which is intended to maintain the increase in global temperature within 1.5°C above pre-industrial level.

The agreement is also meant to slow or stop the loss of the antarctic ice sheets and their impact on sea level rise.

Dr. Rauhan insisted that research needs to be conducted on a suitable scale as Malaysia is also a contributor of climate change.

“Some are of the view that we should focus our effort at a regional scale without committing to a bigger effort in a continent far away from us. But we need to realize that we are also contributing to global warming and our responsibility in conserving the antarctic should not be put aside.

He said issues regarding climate change need to be explained to every segment of society and efforts to manage the impact of climate change need support from various ministries, agencies, and NGOs so that Malaysia can become a leader in managing climate change and not just an observer of initiatives taken by other parties.

Published by:

Corporate Communications Office

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu