Bfm :: Earth Matters

By IUCN estimates, over 300 million tons of plastic are produced every year for use in a wide variety of applications. At least 14 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year, and plastic makes up 80% of all marine debris found from surface waters to deep-sea sediments. The International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) takes place every September, where volunteers around the world come together to clean beaches and waterways of trash - a global effort that has been running for more than 35 years. In Malaysia, the campaign is coordinated annually by Reef Check Malaysia, and this year, volunteers collectively removed over 1000 kg of trash in one day alone! What makes up this waste, and what were the main culprits in this year’s cleanup? What more can be done by all levels of society, to prevent waste - plastic or otherwise - from reaching our oceans and waterways? We discuss this and more in another episode of Plastic Soup on Earth Matters, with Theresa Ng, a Programme Development Manager at Reef Check Malays

The Baram Heritage Survey is no ordinary scientific study. Instead of sending in grad students, the team from the Borneo Project have hired indigenous village-based field technicians to collect comprehensive wildlife, land use and social data for the very first time. Why indigenous communities? Well they know the context, language, and what every sign and sound they come across means, and  have what no university can teach: intergenerational ecological knowledge. The Borneo Project, SAVE Rivers and Keruan Organisation have now launched the Baram Heritage Survey Atlases, the culmination of more than two years of work conducted by Penan and Kenyah communities in the Baram River Basin. The 90-page atlases document how important the forests are for community life and reveal an incredible abundance of rare, threatened, and endangered species that thrive in Indigenous-managed territories. We find out more from Jettie Word, the Director of The Borneo Project, and Fiona McAlpine, the Project manager for the Bara

It's that time of the month, where we speak to environmental journalism portal Macaranga's co-founders, Law Yao Hua and Wong Siew Lyn, for a recap of conservation-related news, from the month past. This month, we've had floods on our minds a lot, with floods already happening in parts of the country, and a looming lawsuit against DBKL and the FT Ministry over their flood mitigation plans - or lack thereof. We also discuss the sand mining projects over in Sabah that residents say are destroying the environment, and being carried out without the necessary EIA approval, and then the First Conference on Climate that was held at Parliament at the start of the month. Looking ahead, we have National Environment Day coming up at the end of October, and discuss what's in store there, with Yao Hua and Siew Lyn.Image credit: Shutterstock

How can Malaysians normalise sustainable living practices, and aim for a zero waste way of life? With lots of help of course, especially from the good folks at Zero Waste Malaysia, who have been championing this environmentally-friendly lifestyle, while showing proof that it's achievable. They are set to present their 3rd Zero Waste Festival after two years, called "Under the Stars: Zero Waste Festival, and we find out more from Zero Waste Malaysia's Khor Sue Yee (Co-founder and Director) and Jasreel Lim (Head of Finance & Business Development).Image credit: Zero Waste Malaysia

Strong community recycling programs can contribute to a healthy united community, and are building blocks for sustainable growing communities. Pejabat ADUN Bukit Gasing has started the Waste Separation and Recycling Initiative in all sections of the Bukit Gasing constituency, allowing residents to separate recyclables and non-recyclables, and they also have an ongoing cash-for-thrash scheme. We find out all about it from YB Rajiv Rishyakaran, the ADUN of Bukit Gasing. Image credit: Rajiv Rishyakaran

Clean air is a basic human right, but air pollution has become one of the greatest environmental risk factors for human health. Exposure to air pollution is a leading global health risk which causes ill health and millions of premature deaths each year worldwide. A recent report titled “Different Air Under One Sky: The Inequity Air Research” published by Greenpeace India, estimates that 100% of the population in Malaysia live in areas with air pollution levels that are above the World Health Organisation’s guidelines for safe air quality. Risks are not evenly distributed amongst the population, with some groups of people at greater risk of harm. We discuss this and other key findings from the report, including the need to have real-time information about the quality of the air we breathe, with Heng Kiah Chun, a Greenpeace Malaysia Campaigner, and Yung-Jen Chen, a Greenpeace Global Air Pollution Unit Senior Campaigner.Image credit: Shutterstock

We may never know exactly when or where an earthquake will happen, but Navakanesh Batmanathan is working to help educate people and better prepare them, should it happen. A National Geographic Young Explorer in 2017, he has worked to map faults, and the areas around faults, to gain a clearer picture of potential earthquake hazards. Currently a research assistant with the Southeast Asia Disaster Prevention Research Initiative (SEADPRI-UKM), he joins us to share more about his work as an earthquake geologist, and also to discuss the Geological Disasters Knowledge and Awareness Training of Trainers (TOT) program, to educate and encourage Malaysian Youth and Young Professionals (YYPs) to understand risks of geological disasters in Malaysia and its surrounding regions. Image credit: Shutterstock / Sung Yoon Jo

For decades now, Adrian Banie Lasimbang has been at the forefront of the movement for sustainable development, and representation for Borneo’s indigenous rural communities. With a long history in grassroots activism, he was the first Malaysian to be awarded the Seacology Prize in 2004 for his success in organising indigenous communities against the unsustainable exploitation of Borneo’s forests, and his leadership on alternative energy projects. A former senator, he also founded TONIBUNG back in 1993, and has led sustainable energy projects across Borneo. Today, he is the President of Pertubuhan Suara Anak Sabah, and remains a green energy activist, advocate for renewable energy, social and environmental activist, and renewable energy developer/practitioner. We speak to him about his work, and also his concerns on the state of Sabah's natural environment, and the issues facing natives in the state. Image credit: Facebook / Adrian Banie Lasimbang

Biodiversity for Malaysia is a monthly series which aims to get everyone on the same page when it comes to all things biodiversity-related, especially on issues surrounding the Convention on Biological Diversity post-2020 framework process, the 30X30 target, and more.  On this month's episode we ask, what exactly does protecting 30% of the planet’s environment look like, especially for biodiversity-rich but still  developing Southeast Asian countries? How will embracing the target provide what's needed by 2030 to ensure our planetary survival, while making good economic sense for countries like Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines? We get regional perspectives from Dr. Michael P. Atrigenio, an Assistant Professor at the Marine Science Institute from the University of the Philippines, Wichin Suebpala, a researcher at the Marine Biodiversity Research Group, from the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ramkhamhaeng University, and Julian Hyde, the General Manager of Reef Check Malaysia.Image c

In our ongoing series, There's No Planet B, we want to share everything you need to know about the climate crisis. We previously touched on why we're in a climate crisis, the effects of the crisis, and climate governance. In this episode, we want to tackle the three pillars of international climate change law: mitigation, adaptation, and loss & damage. The Paris Agreement discusses loss and damage using the phrase “averting, minimising and addressing loss and damage.” Loss and damage can be averted by curbing greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation) and minimised by taking preemptive action to protect communities from the consequences of climate change (adaptation). Pakistan -  a country responsible for less than 1% of global emissions - is now facing US$10bn in damage after the devastating floods that hit the country, highlighting something climate campaigners have warned for years - the global south is being disproportionately affected by climate change. Do we have a comprehensive understanding of mec

For this month's roundup of environmental news with Macaranga, co-founders Wong Siew Lyn and Law Yao Hua first discuss the Perak state government's decision to go ahead with the lanthanide mining pilot project in Gerik, Hulu Perak, and how the state government hopes to address environmental concerns over the project, before turning our attention to some new research by Coralku, which monitored coral tree nurseries for 414 days, and among other things, found that the most common species used for coral restoration in Malaysia was the worse candidate. Looking forward to September, we discuss the significance of International Day of Clean Air for blue skies on the 7th of September, whose theme this year is “The Air We Share” which focuses on the transboundary nature of air pollution, stressing the need for collective accountability and action.

YBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Salleh bin Haji Mohd Nor has spent the better part of his life protecting Malaysia's natural capital. With a long illustrious career to his name – including as the first director-general of the Forest Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), and the president of the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) for 30 years – he is an outspoken and highly respected conservationist, unafraid to challenge projects detrimental to the environment. He was instrumental in achieving the gazettement of Endau Rompin and Belum as National and State parks respectively, and also in getting the Kota Damansara Forest protected from development. Ahead of Merdeka, we speak to this national treasure about his ongoing work in protecting what's left of our natural environment, and how we can strike a balance between economic and environmental sustainability.Image credit: Wikipedia

The ongoing battle to save the Shah Alam Community Forest from being developed continues, the latest update being that two NGOs have filed a judicial review, to challenge the legality of the degazettement of land covering 406ha at the Bukit Cherakah Forest Reserve. The two NGOs, Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (PEKA Malaysia) and Persatuan Rimba Komuniti Shah Alam (SACF Society) jointly filed a Judicial Review, to nullify the forest reserve degazettement notification by the Selangor Forestry Department on the 5th of May 2022, as they believe the state government is acting unlawfully in excising the land without prior notice, without a public inquiry, and without any replacement area. They also believe there is no provision in the state's forestry law that allows the backdating of excision notifications. What does this latest piece play in the larger puzzle to protect this area from development? We discuss updates on this ongoing issue with Dr Teckwyn Lim, the Treasurer of the Shah Alam Community F

YELL stands for Youth Environment Living Labs, and was created to strengthen youth led environmental action, rooted in local, indigenous and traditional knowledge. The aim of YELL is a two-pronged one - to help local youths find their voice in environmental action, and to amplify the existing sustainability efforts among young people. We speak to Wani Nur Imannina, a Youth-Environment Community Facilitator at YELL, and Mogesh Sababathy, the Co-founder of Project Ocean Hope, to find out more. Image credit: Youth Environment Living Labs

The Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) is a collaborative research and training facility managed by the Sabah Wildlife Department and Cardiff University. Their research aims to help mitigate the loss of Asian biodiversity by understanding the effects of habitat fragmentation on the ecosystem, while encouraging in-situ conservation and engaging with NGOs, stakeholders, and policy-makers alike. From proboscis monkeys and pangolins to the seladang and sunbears, the group are involved in a range of long-term programs on an array of tropical forest species. We speak to Prof Dr Benoît Goossens, the Director of DGFC, about the group's work, including on orangutan and elephant conservation, while also discussing how preserving the remaining forests in the Kinabatangan area is key to protecting all the remaining wildlife there.Image credit: Facebook / Danau Girang Field Centre

Established in 2005, EcoKnights' focuses on working with key stakeholders to drive and empower sustainable actions for a better planet. Sustainable community development is at the core of their efforts, whether through on-ground community projects, public-private partnerships, or policy advocacy. We catch up with Fadly Bakhtiar, the Programme Director at EcoKnights, to find out about some of their current projects, including their latest, Old Soles, New Life. This project hopes to create a healthy shoe waste recycling ecosystem, by collecting old shoes to be repurposed into granules that will be used to build environmentally friendly playgrounds or sports surfaces.Image credit: EcoKnights

More than a year ago, in July 2021, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat released the first official draft of a new Global Biodiversity Framework, to guide actions worldwide through 2030 to preserve and protect nature and its essential services to people. The framework includes 21 targets for 2030, and there has been particular interest in Target 3, a global target known colloquially as ’30×30′ which aims to protect and conserve 30% of the world’s terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems. Malaysia is one of the world’s 17 mega-biodiverse countries, but we are rapidly losing our rich biodiversity. How can working towards the 30 × 30 target help Malaysia? How can and should it be implemented? We discuss this and more with Julian Hyde (General Manager, Reef Check Malaysia) and Jasmin Mohd Saad (Policy Consultant, Reef Check Malaysia) on another episode of Biodiversity for Malaysia, our monthly series looking at the Convention on Biological Diversity post-2020 framework proces

The Sunda or Diardi’s Clouded Leopard was only identified to science in 2006, when genetic research indicated they were a separate species from the mainland Clouded Leopard. Named as such because of the large, blotchy, cloud-like markings on their body, Sunda Clouded Leopards are said to be only found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Listed as vulnerable on the IUCN's Red List, a major threat to their existence is habitat loss, but they are also poached for the illegal wildlife trade. It was International Clouded Leopard Day on the 4th of August, and on this episode of the ABC's of Biodiversity, our ongoing series where we explore why biodiversity loss is our loss, we speak about the vital role Sunda clouded leopards play in maintaining Borneo's ecosystem, with Chrishen Gomez, a biologist who is currently attached to the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) at the University of Oxford. He is also a researcher who has studied these elusive creatures, developing the first genetic based resear

The U.N. General Assembly — the highest UN body that wields considerable influence over its member states — adopted a historic resolution: the recognition that it’s a universal human right to live in a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, on the 29th of July 2022. The resolution has been five decades in the making, and is described as an important tool for accountability and climate justice. But as a non-legally binding resolution, can it still serve as a catalyst for change and climate action? What is Malaysia’s constitutional position on environmental rights? We discuss this and more with Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Hj Shad Saleem Faruqi, Holder of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Chair, at the University of Malaya, and Kiu Jia Yaw, the Secretary of the CERAH Anti-Haze Action Group, and Co-chair of the Malaysian CSO-SDG Alliance.

According to a recent report in Macaranga, plantation company AA Sawit Sdn Bhd has just submitted an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report to get federal approval for its new plantations in Johor. However, the development on the site had already begun two years ago, with satellite images showing that between 2020—2021, more than 600 ha of forests on the 3,775 ha site in Endau, northeast Johor, were cleared. Why did the state and local authorities allow logging to commence without an EIA, which is clearly against regulations stipulated in the Environmental Quality Act 1974? Has the development already caused negative impacts to the wildlife and environment in the area? We find out from science and environmental journalist, Law Yao Hua, an editor at Macaranga, who investigated this story in collaboration with the Pulitzer Center’s Rainforest Investigations Network. *After this interview was recorded, one of the existing plantations run by the Johor Farmers’ Organisation Endau, or PPK Endau (Per