Earth Matters
385 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 year ago -Climate change, ferocious weather and ‘the haze’ are now part our everyday lives. How are our lifestyles connected to them, and what can we do about it? What does the economy have to do with it? Earth Matters engages with activists and experts to explore our changing relationship with the planet that we only borrow from our children.
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Episodes
Bye Bye Forest, Hello Road?
September 14, 2020 07:00 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MBThe Shah Alam City Council recently released its latest draft local plan draft (Draf Rancangan Tempatan 2035) for public consultation. In this plan is a proposal to build a road right across the Shah Alam Community Forest linking Setia Alam and Bandar NusaRhu. It's estimated that the proposed road will permanently destroy about two hectares of pristine rainforest, hundreds of trees and species, and the forest trails many have come to love, all for a single road. We find out more about this ...
Guardians of the Gibbons
September 07, 2020 07:00 - 36 minutes - 33.9 MBThere are five types of gibbons found in Malaysia, and the IUCN lists all of them as endangered. Sadly, they receive very little protection here, and some of the threats to their existence include habitat loss from deforestation and development, poaching, and trafficking. Mariani Ramli has been working to rescue gibbons from captivity, with the aim of rehabilitating and releasing them back into the wild. The founder of the Gibbon Conservation Society, and the Director of the Gibbon Rehabili...
Macaranga Wrap-up: August 2020
August 24, 2020 07:30 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBSL Wong and Law Yao Hua, the editors of Macaranga.org, return for their monthly show, to discuss major environmental news from August this year, and to highlight events and issues to look out for in September. This month, we will discuss whether human-elephant conflicts are on the rise, and we will also dissect Malaysia’s decision to shelve the tabling of the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act. Looking forward to September, we wonder what implications there will be for the environment, follow...
What's Up In Fraser's Hill?
August 24, 2020 07:00 - 33 minutes - 30.7 MBRising more than 1000m above sea level on the Titiwangsa Range, and straddling the Pahang-Selangor border, Fraser’s Hill is a highland rainforest area that is a popular ecotourism getaway for many. The sudden demolition of both the colonial-style Maybank Lodge and Jelai Resort last month, and the proposed construction of a 15-storey building Resort & Spa on the site has shocked residents. Residents are calling for a review of the proposed development, which is almost three times taller than...
Connecting, Cooperating & Changing for Nature
August 17, 2020 07:00 - 44 minutes - 40.5 MBScott Poynton's passion lies in helping create more positive change in the world, and he has spent his life working to bring change in highly complex, challenging situations. The founder of The Forest Trust (TFT), Scott used his time at TFT to help some of the world’s largest companies transform the way they source their products. Though still working on forests, Scott's focus has now pivoted to people, aiming to help individuals connect to themselves, to others and to nature. He joins us t...
World Elephant Day 2020 Special - Nurturing Human-elephant Coexistence
August 10, 2020 07:00 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBHumans and elephants have ‘co-existed for millenia’ in the Malay Peninsula. For his dissertation, Lim Teckwyn, from the Management & Ecology of Malaysian Elephants Project, studied human-elephant relations, from both social and ecological perspectives. In particular, he examined the intertwined histories of humans and elephants in Belum-Temengor, by exploring the history of elephants, the history of the people, and the history of the relationship between humans and elephants in this site. I...
The Sea Monkey Project
August 03, 2020 07:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBThey've been sailing and living aboard a 41ft Morgan Out Island monohull yacht called 'Sea Monkey' since 2014, after leaving their regular life behind in Brisbane. Calling themselves the Sea Monkeys, this family of four works on many aspects of aiding the problem of global plastic pollution. We find out more about their work and adventures from father-daughter duo Carlos Steenland and Sydney Steenland of the Sea Monkey Project.
Macaranga Wrap-up: July 2020
July 27, 2020 07:30 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MBSL Wong and Law Yao Hua, the editors of Macaranga.org, return for their monthly show, to discuss major environmental news from July this year, and to highlight events and issues to look out for in August. This month, we discuss the passing of pioneering Malaysian zoologist Dr Lim Boo Liat, and the challenges to replicate his efforts in the current academic climate. We also take a look at how the plans to expedite the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Conservation blueprint might mean for ecotouri...
People for Peat
July 20, 2020 07:00 - 36 minutes - 33.3 MBThe Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre (TRCRC), was established in 2012 to restore tropical rainforests and address the critical rate of biodiversity loss in Malaysia. TRCRC’s mission is two-fold: to preserve tropical rainforest plant species and lead landscape-wide protection and reforestation projects throughout the country. Joining us to shed more light on the work they do, and also to discuss a new project that they are working on called People For Peat, is Dr. Lee Jo ...
Become a Wira Zero Waste (W0W)
July 13, 2020 07:00 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MBZero Waste Malaysia have been working hard to create awareness on the zero waste lifestyle, which essentially wants people to shift from the take-make-dispose culture, and move towards practicing environmentally-responsible habits. They have shared the zero-waste gospel to many Malaysians, and the latest feather to their cap is the launching of a Lesson Plan and virtual classroom which will educate youths on sustainability, and hopefully kick start them on their zero waste journey. We find...
Saving Turtles in the Time of a Pandemic
July 06, 2020 07:00 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MBShe's known as "Mek Tuntung" among locals - Dr. Chen Pelf Nyok is the co-founder of the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia, and is a freshwater turtle researcher and conservationist based in Kemaman, Terengganu. She has long been working to help in the recovery of depleted wild populations of turtles, with particular reference to freshwater turtles, in Malaysia. She joins us to discuss her work in turtle conservation, and also to share how the pandemic is affecting conservation of turt...
Macaranga Environmental Stock Take: June 2020
June 29, 2020 07:30 - 23 minutes - 21.2 MBSL Wong and Law Yao Hua, the editors of Macaranga.org, join us for their monthly show, to discuss major environmental news from June this year, and to highlight events and issues to look out for in July. Macaranga.org is a journalism portal covering environment and sustainability-related topics in Malaysia.
Pulau Tioman as a Sustainable Tourism Destination
June 29, 2020 07:00 - 22 minutes - 21 MBFor many islands, their social, economic and environmental well being is tied strongly to the fate of a single sector: tourism. But badly planned tourism risks depleting biodiversity, degrading land and polluting the seas. Using Tioman Island as a case study, Reef Check Malaysia, the local chapter of the world’s largest international coral reef monitoring programme, released a paper titled: Tioman as a Sustainable Tourism Destination. Joining us to shed more light on this paper is Julian Hy...
The PONGO Alliance
June 22, 2020 07:00 - 46 minutes - 42.3 MBThe PONGO Alliance is an alliance of oil palm growers, businesses and NGOs, who aim to make resilient landscapes for wildlife and people, by seeking ways to allow lands outside protected areas to play a role in conserving wildlife. We find out more about the alliance and how they are working to create a Human and Orangutan Coexistence Landscape, from its Executive Director, Dr John Payne, and also from Dr Felicity Oram, who is the Kinabatangan Project Director for the alliance.
A New Era for Environmental Conservation?
June 15, 2020 07:00 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBIn a matter of months, the world has changed. Covid-19 has changed the way we live and the pandemic's stay-at-home orders have brought a welcome relief in many places from air pollution and the worsening environment. In Malaysia, we also had a change in government and a new Cabinet, which included the reshuffling of environment-related ministries and portfolios. With a global call to build back better, will Malaysia see carbon and pollutant emissions “bounce back” or will we see changes in ...
COVID-19 and The Ocean - What does the future hold for Marine Ecosystems?
June 01, 2020 07:00 - 42 minutes - 39.1 MBCOVID-19 has upended lives and livelihoods across the planet, and it's impact is not only being felt on land, but at sea too, and is affecting our “blue economy.” How can we take advantage of this great pause, and use this window of opportunity offered by reduced emissions and energy demand, to protect the marine environment better? In conjunction with World Oceans Day on the 8th of June, we discuss how to build an ocean economy that is both stronger and more sustainable after COVID-19, wit...
Taking Stock of the Environment with Macaranga
May 18, 2020 07:30 - 23 minutes - 22 MBMacaranga is a journalism portal covering environment and sustainability-related topics in Malaysia. Helmed by writers Law Yao Hua and SL Wong, the duo aim to provide relevant and insightful content that builds knowledge on ecosystems, through the portal. In their first monthly episode on Earth Matters, both the editors of Macaranga join us to give a wrap-up of major environmental news from April and May this year, while discussing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the environment, and...
How COVID-19 is Affecting Sun Bear Conservation
May 18, 2020 07:00 - 18 minutes - 17 MBAcross the world, many wildlife reserves and animal sanctuaries have been severely impacted by the coronavirus lockdown measures which has led to reduced tourism, and a shortage of funds to support their conservation work. The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, the only sun bear conservation centre in the world, is also being impacted by Malaysia's Movement Control Order, as they rely on funds from ecotourism activities at the center, which helps fund their day to day activities. We find...
Degazettement Process Goes On, Despite COVID-19 Pandemic?
March 30, 2020 07:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBThe current Movement Control Order (MCO) and the suspension of activities by NGOs by the Registrar of Societies, have made it impossible to have any proper assessment of impacts or dialogue on the proposed degazettement of the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve. So it came as a surprise when the Selangor state government announced it would soon conduct a public hearing session for the proposed degazettement. The Coalition for the Protection of Selangor’s Forests are calling upon the Selangor...
World Water Day 2020 Special: Use Water Wisely
March 23, 2020 07:00 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MBWater is one of the basic necessities of life, which we use almost without thinking, and this can lead to significant waste. While we're always advised on how much water we should drink daily, we don't really hear much about the amount of water we are wasting, water scarcity, or how we can reduce usage. This World Water Day, we speak to Norizan Mohd Mazlan, the Head of Conservation in Peninsular Malaysia at WWF-Malaysia, about major issues that must be addressed to ensure the sustainability...
Southeast Asia: At the heart of wildlife trade
March 02, 2020 07:00 - 31 minutes - 28.5 MBA report released by wildlife trade monitoring organisation Traffic has concluded that a new strategy is urgently needed to curb wildlife trafficking in southeast Asia, one of the world’s biggest biodiversity hotspots. The report, titled Southeast Asia: At the heart of wildlife trade, has detailed how organised criminal networks aided by wildlife cybercrime, inadequate laws and dismal conviction rates are allowing illegal trade to flourish. We find out more about the report, and what needs ...
Why Not Preserve the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve?
February 24, 2020 07:30 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBThe Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR) currently covers about 958ha of peat swamp forest – a small remnant of a much larger forest that was degazetted and converted for development over the last 50 years. This forest reserve has been home to the Temuan tribe for more than a hundred years, and it also supports critically endangered species such as the Malayan Sun Bear, Selangor Pygmy Flying Squirrel and the rare Langat Red Fighting Fish. Now, the reserve is now facing an unprecedented...
What Now, Post COP25?
February 17, 2020 07:00 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBThe UN Conference of Parties (COP) 25 which was held last year in Madrid, Spain, was deemed as a failure by many. Both activists and experts who attended observed that there has never been a bigger disconnect between “what the science requires and negotiations delivered in terms of meaningful action.” What went wrong? Kingsley Goh and Tan Cai May, who represented the Malaysian Youth Delegation at COP25 in Spain, joins us to share their experiences and takeaways from the Conference, and to o...
Creating Future-Proof Cities
February 10, 2020 07:00 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MBCreating Future-Proof Cities is a publication that aims to serve as a practical guide to individuals, communities and cities to step up action to curb the rise of global temperatures and adapt to future norms. The book also aims to demystify the climate crisis and prescribes a localised response, using Penang, Malaysia, as a case study. We find out more from the authors of the book, Murali Ram and Rexy Prakash Chacko.
World Wetlands Day 2020
February 03, 2020 07:00 - 42 minutes - 39.2 MBCelebrated every year on the 2nd of February, World Wetlands Day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on the same day in 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Wetlands are vital for humans, for other ecosystems and for our climate, providing essential ecosystem services such as water regulation, including flood control and water purification. The worrying thing is that they are disappearing three times faster than forests due to human ...
Conservation Roadmap for Flying Foxes in Peninsular Malaysia
January 20, 2020 07:00 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MBFlying foxes are giant fruit bats, and are one of the most threatened groups of bats in the world, with their numbers declining sharply due to hunting and habitat loss. They play a critical dual role in forest maintenance and regeneration as pollinators and seed dispersers, and are particularly important for pollinating durian trees. Rimba’s Project Pteropus has been working on flying fox conservation in collaboration with PERHILITAN since 2012, and this collaboration has resulted in a Cons...
Australia's bushfire crisis - is this what a climate crisis looks like?
January 13, 2020 07:00 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBThe unprecedented and catastrophic bushfires in Australia have killed more than 25 people, burned hundreds of thousands of hectares of land, caused massive devastation to wildlife, ecosystems and the environment, and destroyed hundreds of homes. Even as the world tries to grapple with the enormity of the crisis, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been facing mounting criticism over his government's climate policies and their handling of the crisis. A new misinformation campaign ha...
2020 - the 'year of action' against climate change?
January 06, 2020 07:00 - 30 minutes - 27.6 MBLast year, the world woke up to the climate emergency. Many of us were also jolted by the global report by the International Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, which details how humans have dramatically reconfigured life on the planet. With around one million animal and plant species now threatened with extinction, many within decades, how do we decide on what species to save, and how do we get past "apocalypse fatigue" so that we are inspired to act? If 2019 was the year of awak...
Best of Earth Matters 2019 - Part 1: The Climate Crisis
December 23, 2019 07:00 - 40 minutes - 36.9 MBWe revisit some of the best interviews from Earth Matters, from 2019. On this episode, we look at the climate crisis, and whether ASEAN’s approach to address this global crisis is moving quickly enough, and in the right direction.
The Power and Potential of Seagrass
December 16, 2019 07:00 - 34 minutes - 32 MBSeagrasses are submerged flowering plants with deep roots that are found in meadows along the shore of every continent except Antarctica. Although they get little attention, seagrasses are a vital part of the marine ecosystem - per hectare, seagrasses can store up to twice as much carbon than terrestrial forests. Sadly, they are among the world’s most threatened ecosystems, with annual global loss of around 1.5%. We discuss this marine powerhouse with Dr Jillian Ooi, a teaching and research...
International Anti-Corruption Day 2019: How Corruption Facilitates Wildlife Crimes
December 09, 2019 07:00 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MBWildlife crime is big business. Run by dangerous international networks, wildlife and animal parts are trafficked much like illegal drugs and arms. Though almost impossible to obtain reliable figures for the value of the illegal wildlife trade, experts at TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, estimates that it runs into billions of dollars. What role does corruption play in all of this? We speak to Elizabeth John, a Senior Communications Officer with TRAFFIC, to discuss how corrup...
Mini-grids For Rural Electrification
December 02, 2019 07:00 - 40 minutes - 37 MBWith the reduced cost of renewable technologies and rising innovation, mini-grids are a growing opportunity in emerging markets, one which is already reducing fuel consumption, lowering emissions and driving energy access. Estimates show that to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030, 40 percent of all installed capacity will have to come from mini grids. Ayu Abdullah is the Regional Director for Southeast Asia at Energy Action Partners, who specializes in leading collaborative eff...
Jane Goodall's Reasons For Hope
November 25, 2019 07:00 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MBDr. Jane Goodall is considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees. Her extensive research into the behaviour of chimpanzees, which first started in Africa in the 1960s, is said to have fundamentally altered scientific thinking about the relationship between humans and other mammals. We caught up with her to discuss how a young Englishwoman winded up revolutionizing primate science, her journey from naturalist to activist, her work with the world's youth to address the climate ...
The Orangutan-Palm Oil Conflict
November 18, 2019 07:00 - 32 minutes - 30 MBThe orangutan is an iconic primate which inhabits the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. Over the past several decades however, its habitat has been cleared and encroached upon, with one of the most serious threats being the clearing of their forest homes for palm oil plantations. We discuss the threats and challenges facing orangutans today, and whether certified sustainable palm oil is the way to ensure their survival in the wild, with Michelle Desilets, the Founder and Executive Director...
MyForest Watch
November 11, 2019 07:00 - 40 minutes - 37 MBMyForest Watch was launched back in 2017, and looks at Malaysia’s natural heritage, our forests, and how non-state actors - non-governmental organisations, civil societies, local communities, the private sector and the public – can inform and change policies towards better forest governance. We find out more about this five-year project from Dr Hum Gurung, who is the Regional Coordinator for the Project, and Prof. Dr. Ahmad Ismail, the Project advisor and President of the Malaysian Nature S...
Pest or Pest Control? The study of pig-tailed macaques in oil palm plantations
November 04, 2019 07:00 - 37 minutes - 33.9 MBPig-tailed macaques have a bad reputation as crop raiders, widely regarded as a pest in agricultural crops, including oil palm. But a new study shows they only cause only relatively minor losses in palm oil yield, and more importantly, they actively search for rats, a major oil palm pest. So are macaques acting as a biological pest control in oil palm plantations fringing their forest habitat? We speak to Dr Nadine Ruppert, a senior lecturer and zoologist at the School of Biological Science...
The Birds of Taman Rimba Kiara
October 21, 2019 07:00 - 30 minutes - 27.6 MBIf you're lucky enough, you might spot an Oriental Pied hornbill flying around Taman Rimba Kiara in Taman Tun Dr Ismail. You can also catch sight of other species of birds like Brahminy Kites, Crested Goshawks, and this past week, you might have even seen flocks of Purple-backed Starlings. This small and threatened urban park is an ideal ground for bird watching, and is teeming with other wildlife, insects and plants. We find out more about what this small park has to offer, from Roselyn Ch...
Clean Air for All
October 14, 2019 07:35 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MBClean air is a basic human right, but a lot of people are deprived of it. Two thirds of the cities in the world with adequate air quality data are suffering from dangerous levels of pollution, and this is having a significant impact on human health. So how exactly is it impacting us, and what can be done about it? Joining us to discuss this and more is Karine Leger, the Managing Director of Airparif, the air pollution monitoring network for the Paris region.
World Food Day Special: Because Food Matters
October 14, 2019 07:00 - 21 minutes - 20 MBSince their launch in April 2016, The Lost Food Project has been working to rescue food, reduce waste and fight hunger in Malaysia. The organisation was recently appointed as strategic partners of Yayasan Food Bank, and they have also been working with the government on the Food Donor Protection Bill 2019, which was approved by the Dewan Rakyat last week. Ahead of World Food Day this Wednesday, The Lost Food Project’s Founder Suzanne Mooney joins us to discuss the implications of this legis...
Ice Diaries
October 07, 2019 07:00 - 31 minutes - 29 MBDr Jean McNeil is a novelist, poet and essayist, and was writer-in-residence with the British Antarctic Survey for a few months, and has since made several trips to the Antarctic region and to the Arctic. Her memoir and polar travel narrative "Ice Diaries" was named as one of the best nature books by The Guardian in the UK in 2018. She joins us to discuss her experiences as a writer in Antarctica, its flora and fauna, and her witnessing of the profound changes taking place in the polar regi...
Saving Rivers, Saving Lives
September 30, 2019 07:00 - 34 minutes - 31.9 MBA lifelong campaigner for the people of Sarawak, Peter Kallang, the chairman of the SAVE Rivers Network, was very recently honoured with the 2019 Seacology Prize, for leading a successful campaign to halt the construction of the Baram Dam. The prize is awarded to people for protecting island environments, and Peter is the first Sarawakian and the second Malaysian to receive this honour, for his work through the Save Rivers Network. He joins us to share more about his work in supporting and ...
Conserving Species on the Brink
September 23, 2019 07:00 - 25 minutes - 23.1 MBThe Monitor Conservation Research Society (Monitor) is a nonprofit organization that works to end illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade. Founded by Dr Chris Shepherd, we find out more about the work that they do, which includes research into often overlooked and lesser-known species that are also traded illegally.
Malaysia Day 2019: Development - at what & whose cost?
September 10, 2019 07:00 - 36 minutes - 33.3 MBThe proposed Papar Dam Project in Sabah, if constructed, would displace more than 3,200 people, and affected communities are also concerned that the dam will have adverse environmental impacts, destroy burial sites and submerge land over which they hold native customary title. Water supply is a serious issue, but should it come at the expense of human rights or the environment? Ahead of Malaysia Day 2019, we speak to activists Diana Sipail and Nicholas Gilai, who are urging the authorities ...
The Role of Businesses in Sustainability
August 26, 2019 07:35 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MBDr Gary Theseira, the Special Functions Officer to the Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change tells us more about how the ministry is promoting sustainability for businesses in the private sector.
International Coastal Cleanup Day 2019
August 26, 2019 07:00 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MBReef Check Malaysia (RCM) is a non-profit organisation that was registered to raise awareness of the importance of our coral reefs. With International Coastal Cleanup Day coming up in September, we speak to the General Manager, Julian Hyde about what they’re doing this year and to tell us more about how the community can get involved.
Dealing With Food Waste the Sustainable Way
August 19, 2019 07:35 - 26 minutes - 24 MBA shopping centre in Shah Alam has found a sustainable way to manage food waste by recycling them into animal feed and farm fertiliser. We find out how they’re doing this from Anthony Dylan - COO of CPN Malaysia
The International Congress for Conservation Biology 2019
August 19, 2019 07:00 - 34 minutes - 31.6 MBInternational Congress for Conservation Biology (or ICCB) was held last month in Kuala Lumpur from 21-25 July 2019. On today’s show, we look at some of the highlights of the event and discuss the impact of such big expensive conferences for local conservation.
Cutting Down on Food Waste
August 05, 2019 07:00 - 42 minutes - 38.7 MBMalaysians reportedly dispose no less than 3,000 metric tonnes of food daily. These are foods that are still fit for consumption. The Lost Food Project rescues quality and nutritious surplus food that would otherwise end up in the landfill. Suzanne Mooney, the founder of The Lost Food Project joins us on the show to talk about some of their recent campaigns to reduce food waste in the country.
Global Tiger Day 2019
July 29, 2019 07:00 - 41 minutes - 37.8 MBThe Malayan Tiger has been critically endangered for years now. Yet, with ecologists and tiger conservation groups sounding the alarm on their imminent extinction, are we doing enough to make tiger protection a priority? For this year’s Global Tiger Day, we take a look at some of the conservation efforts being carried out to curb this issue.
Asean’s Climate Change Approach
July 22, 2019 07:00 - 39 minutes - 36 MBThe ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Association (AIPA) took place last month in June. Joining us on the show today to tell us more about what was the outcome of the meeting and Asean’s climate change approach is Wong Chen, Member of Parliament for Subang.