ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part includes intersections of tectonic plates which result in a proneness to earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, landslides, mudslides, and other related hazards; being on the path of typhoons; and peatlands that are prone to wildfires. It provides urban disasters in Southeast Asia have been socially and politically produced. The part focuses on Urban political ecology. It also focuses on recognizing the complex services that ecosystems provide to social and economic activities. The part describes development-induced environmental changes, such as deforestation, that in turn negatively affect the ecosystem's capacity on which cities in Malaysia are dependent. The mitigation efforts usually take the form of major projects to engineer urban landscapes away from rather than reconciling with the natural environment. Environmental governance and urbanizing disasters in Southeast Asia are urgently in need of further action-oriented research to address the disconnect between conceptual works and pragmatic approaches.
