Earth Matters

Tak Kenal Maka Tak Cinta is our ongoing tourism-themed series on Earth Matters, which aims to highlight lesser-known ecotourism spots right here in Malaysia. Through the series, we want to take you back to the great outdoors, and experience the many off-the-beaten-track nature spots our country has to offer. This month, we speak to Dr Louisa Ponnampalam, the Chairperson of the MareCet Research Org...

Macaranga's latest article, "Listen to the Birds to Save Mangroves" is an in-depth look at the critical interdependence between mangrove forests and bird populations in Malaysia. We know that mangrove forests are at risk here in Malaysia, mainly due to fragmentation caused by infrastructure development. This fragmentation endangers not only the mangroves but also the wildlife that depends on them....

We recently celebrated World Oceans Day and World Coral Triangle Day, awareness days meant to reflect on the critical issues facing our oceans and coral reefs. With the ongoing fourth global coral bleaching event, the urgency to address these challenges has never been greater. Reef Check Malaysia is at the forefront of marine conservation efforts, working tirelessly to monitor and protect the heal...

You might not think of mangroves as part of the ocean, but these coastal, salt-tolerant trees sustain a vibrant ecosystem intricately linked to tropical and subtropical ocean regions worldwide. It was World Oceans Day on the 8th of June, and we want to explore how mangroves contribute to the overall health of the ocean ecosystem, and how it may be nature’s solution to ocean acidification, with Dr....

It was the Day of Action Against Incineration on the 3rd of June, organised by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) in Asia Pacific, to draw attention to the negative impacts of waste incineration, and shift public finance to real solutions in waste and climate change. In our first episode of this two-part series, we caught up with Albrecht Arevalo, a Climate & Anti-Incinera...

The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) in Asia Pacific are set to hold a Day of Action Against Incineration this 3rd of June. Incinerators are considered highly toxic, expensive, and dangerous, contributing significantly to climate change by emitting 68% more greenhouse gases per unit of energy than coal plants. GAIA and its allies are rallying people to call on governments to com...

With May almost behind us, it's time once more for our monthly Macaranga wrap-up show, where we give you a rundown of the top environmental news from the month past, curated by the co-founders of the environmental journalism portal Macaranga - Law Yao Hua and Wong Siew Lyn. This month, we tackle three topics, first we discuss Endangered Species Day - celebrated annually on the third Friday of May...

Macaranga's latest article - Floods, Rising Seas Make Dumps More Dangerous - highlights the escalating dangers posed by landfills, amidst the backdrop of climate change-induced floods, rising sea levels, and other environmental impacts, by focusing on Malaysia's waste management crisis. Landfills, once deemed a solution, now exacerbates environmental and health risks due to their vulnerability to...

There are serious flaws in plastic offsets, credits and plastic neutrality, according to the report: Smoke and Mirrors - The Realities of Plastic Credits and Offsetting. Building on research published by SourceMaterial and Bloomberg, with original research by Break Free From Plastic (BFFP) and the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), the report looks at two of the main proponents o...

The wildlife conservation landscape in Malaysia, is changing, and while there have been many wins, such as recent amendments to the Wildlife Conservation Act, there remains challenges, such as the delays in the actual enforcement of the Act, which threaten their efficacy. A comparison between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah's wildlife legislation underscores the need for tailored, comprehensive fram...

Established in 2012 and run by a team of passionate researcher-conservationists, MareCet is Malaysia's first and only non-profit NGO that is dedicated to the research and conservation of marine mammals in Malaysia. A bulk of their work focuses on increasing scientific knowledge through research, they are also keen to educate and transfer knowledge to us all, to create positive impact and change. S...

As we close off April, it's time for our monthly Macaranga wrap-up show, where we give you a rundown of the top environmental news from the month past, curated by the co-founders of the environmental journalism portal, Macaranga . We speak to Law Yao Hua to discuss some major updates on the ongoing Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) saga, before turning our attention to what is set to be the...

Since the late 1980s, over a quarter of a billion tonnes of plastic waste have been globally traded, disproportionately burdening developing countries with insufficient waste management capacities, while enabling developed nations to sustain high plastic consumption. Referred to as "waste colonialism," this practice leads to irreparable harm to the environment and human health in importing countri...

Since the late 1980s, over a quarter of a billion tonnes of plastic waste have been globally traded, disproportionately burdening developing countries with insufficient waste management capacities, while enabling developed nations to sustain high plastic consumption. Referred to as "waste colonialism," this practice leads to irreparable harm to the environment and human health in importing countri...

We speak to Harris Raj Kumar, an environmentalist and the founder of Local Nature Trips, about the nature based tourism activities he runs, to promote a love for our natural heritage. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Fashion Revolution is a global movement that aims to transform the fashion industry into a more sustainable and ethical one. It was founded in the aftermath of the Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh in 2013, which claimed the lives of over 1,100 garment workers. The tragedy shed light on the poor working conditions and lack of transparency within the fashion supply chain. The Fashion R...

Back in March 2022, a significant resolution was passed at the 5th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, titled "End plastic pollution: towards an international legally binding instrument." This resolution acknowledged the severe global issue of plastic pollution, recognising its detrimental effects on the environment, society, and sustainable development. It mandated the UN Environm...

In Malaysia, it's sadly not that difficult to purchase wildlife as pets, especially through online channels. But what's spurring Malaysians to want to own and then buy these exotic pets, and are there enough laws to prevent the often illegal trade of these wild species of animals? We speak to journalists Hannan Azmir and Lee Kwai Han , who recently wrote two articles on the illegal trade of wildli...

The Urban Orchard Kuala Lumpur (UOKL) is a project initiated by Yen Maseri Hj Idris, better known as Uncle Yen. After losing his youngest son in 2016, Yen started planting fruit trees along the riverbank of Sungai Penchala, near the Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery, as his way of dealing with the loss of his son, and honouring his late son’s memory. His vision is to create a sanctuary for people who ar...

International Zero Waste Day was just celebrated on the 30th of March, with the aim of promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns, supporting a societal shift towards circularity, and raising awareness about how zero-waste initiatives contribute to the advancement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. According to the UN, the waste sector contributes to the triple planetar...

In Terengganu’s Pulau Redang, the community is actively engaged in protecting their marine ecosystem, particularly focusing on coral reef restoration with the support of Reef Check Malaysia and the Redang Marine Conservation Group (RMCG). Six locals trained by Reef Check Malaysia's Cintai Redang team have achieved significant milestones within a year, including rescuing 750 coral fragments, removi...

Macaranga Wrap-up is our monthly show on Earth Matters where we give you a roundup of the top environmental news from the month past, curated by the co-founders of the environmental journalism portal Macaranga . Wong Siew Lyn and Law Yao Hua return this March with updates on some illegal wildlife trading cases, involving both African rhinoceros and reptiles. We will also take a look at the recent...

Tak Kenal Maka Tak Cinta is our ongoing tourism-themed series on Earth Matters, which aims to highlight lesser-known ecotourism spots right here in Malaysia. Done in collaboration with the Ecotourism & Conservation Society Malaysia (ECOMY), we want to take you back to the great outdoors, and experience the many off-the-beaten-track nature spots our country has to offer. Last month, we did an o...

Fun fact: Asian arowana once sold for more than RM500,000! But did you also know that they were once so common, that locals were hauling them up by the dozens to eat? But the fish have been endangered for the past 50 years, and are rarely seen in our rivers and lakes now. Local environmental journalism portal Macaranga wrote a two-part series on the past decline of wild arowanas and current effort...

Rantaian Urban Green Spaces or RUGS is a conservation initiative with the primary objective of overseeing and fostering collaborative efforts among multiple stakeholders to preserve, revitalise, and interconnect the dispersed green areas within the Klang Valley. Throughout the Klang Valley, smaller, isolated green patches often receive less attention compared to larger forest expanses in other reg...