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Earth Matters

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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All Episodes

34:16

Development and Displacement in Orang Asli Lands

Earth Matters ·

2026/02/16

Across Malaysia, questions about Orang Asli land rights have been back in the headlines, from the detention of villagers in Pahang over a land dispute, to communities facing displacement, environmental damage, and development carried out without meaningful consultation. One of the latest flashpoints is Pulau Carey in Selangor, where the Mah Meri community in Kampung Sungai Kurau says a proposed port expansion could threaten their fishing grounds, cultural heritage, and way of life. We speak with

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35:37

Illegal E-Waste in Malaysia Part 2: A System Revealed

Earth Matters ·

2026/02/11

Illegal e-waste is not a new issue in Malaysia, but recent events have brought it back into the headlines in a big way, from enforcement raids to high-profile investigations and new policy measures. In our previous episode, we spoke about the situation here in Malaysia and the recent developments that have brought the e-waste issue into sharp focus. In this second part of our two-part series on Illegal E-Waste in Malaysia, we take a step back and look at the bigger picture, including the global

en-US

40:34

Illegal E-Waste in Malaysia Part 1: A Problem Exposed

Earth Matters ·

2026/02/09

Malaysia’s illegal e-waste trade has been making headlines in recent weeks, from major enforcement raids and large seizures at ports to corruption investigations involving senior officials. Authorities say the scale of the problem runs into billions of ringgit, raising serious concerns about pollution, public health, and enforcement gaps. In this first of a two part series on Illegal E-Waste in Malaysia, we take a closer look at what’s been happening with Wong Pui Yi, researcher with the Basel

en-US

30:55

Saving Wetlands: The Story of Kuala Selangor Nature Park

Earth Matters ·

2026/02/04

Not too far from the heart of Kuala Lumpur, there’s a place where mangroves meet mudflats, migratory birds stop to rest, and silvered leaf monkeys peer down from the trees. The Kuala Selangor Nature Park may be easy to reach, but its importance goes far beyond a weekend escape. In conjunction with World Wetlands Day, we’re taking a closer look at this unique wetland ecosystem, including how it protects coastlines, supports wildlife, and connects people to nature. Joining us to do that are Ng Sean

en-US

35:32

Malaysia Loses 47,000 Football Fields of Coral

Earth Matters ·

2026/01/28

Malaysia’s coral reefs are in trouble, and the numbers are getting harder to ignore. Reef Check Malaysia’s latest survey shows that live coral cover has fallen again, marking the third straight year of decline. But what does that actually mean for our oceans, our livelihoods, and our future? We speak to Julian Hyde, the CEO of Reef Check Malaysia, to unpack the findings of their 2025 Annual Survey, and to explore why a major new global agreement, the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use

en-US

35:31

Nature Reads: Books Rooted in Place and People

Earth Matters ·

2026/01/26

Nature Reads on Earth Matters is the show where we explore the stories behind books that bring us closer to nature and the world around us. Every month, we team up with the good folks at Sunda Shelves, an independent bookstore with a passion for wild places and thoughtful reads. For this month's episode, we speak to Su Mei Toh, a freelance researcher and advisor at Wild Asia. Together with co-host Surin Suksuwan, the co-founder of Sunda Shelves, Su Mei joins us to share more about a selection of

en-US

41:23

Is Waste-to-Energy Really Sustainable?

Earth Matters ·

2026/01/21

Waste management is something most of us only think about when the bins aren’t collected or when landfills overflow. But behind the scenes, big decisions are being made about how Malaysia deals with its waste, and one solution that keeps coming up is Waste-to-Energy, or WtE. It’s often described as a win-win. Burn the waste, generate electricity, reduce landfills. But critics say the reality is far more complicated, and that these projects come with serious environmental, financial, and health

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32:01

Malaysia’s First Climate Lawsuit Explained

Earth Matters ·

2026/01/19

Climate change is often discussed in terms of targets, pledges, and long-term plans. But what happens when companies make climate claims that may not be true, and when no government agency steps in to investigate? RimbaWatch has filed what is believed to be the country’s first climate litigation case focused on greenwashing, and we discuss how this landmark legal case could shape how climate claims are regulated in Malaysia. Joining us to explain what this case is about and why it matters is Kuberan

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31:35

Indigenous Ecotourism with the Semai Community

Earth Matters ·

2026/01/14

This story begins almost ten years ago, with durian trees planted patiently and a village waiting for the right time. After hosting only small groups of friends for years, the Semai hosts at Indigenous Tropical Adventure & Homestay or ITAH are now ready to open their doors more widely, with support from Gerimis Art. The experience centres on fruit season, forest life, and cultural exchange, guided by the community themselves. To share more on how this collaboration came about, the Semai hosts,

en-US

33:28

Fragmented-Connected: Finding Nature in a Concrete...

Earth Matters ·

2026/01/12

Across the Klang Valley, many small green spaces are overlooked, even as they continue to support wildlife and communities. At the same time, there are people quietly working to protect, reconnect, and care for these places. The exhibition Fragmented-Connected asks what we have lost through urbanisation, and what it means to reconnect, through conservation, community, and storytelling. We find out more from Siti Syuhada Sapno, the Programme Coordinator at the Forest Learning Centre at Perdana

en-US

46:39

Floods, Heat, and Climate Justice in Thailand

Earth Matters ·

2026/01/07

Climate policies are often designed far from the people most affected by climate change, and while global commitments are important, they don’t always reflect realities on the ground. In Thailand, communities are dealing with flooding, extreme heat, and changing livelihoods, and women are often at the center of responding, yet missing from decision-making. So what happens when policy doesn’t meet lived experience? Joining us to unpack this is Wanun Permpibul, a climate activist and the Director of

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38:16

Saving Bukit Kiara Through The Glow Campaign

Earth Matters ·

2026/01/05

Fireflies are small, easy to overlook, and deeply sensitive to change. When they disappear, it's often an early warning that something in the ecosystem is no longer in balance. In Bukit Kiara, one of Kuala Lumpur’s last remaining urban forests, fireflies have become a powerful signal of what is happening, as development pressures grow closer to sensitive habitats. So what are the fireflies of Bukit Kiara telling us, as these new pressures mount? We discuss the history of Bukit Kiara, the incredible

en-US

35:15

Agroecology As A Climate Solution

Earth Matters ·

2025/12/17

Industrial agriculture is often framed as the only way to feed the world, yet its pesticide-heavy model is deepening environmental and climate risks. Sarojeni Rengam, the Executive Director of Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PANAP), joins us to explain why agroecology offers a more sustainable path forward that builds soil health, strengthens biodiversity and empowers farmers. We’ll discuss how agroecology works on the ground, the systemic changes needed to shift away from hazardous

en-US

34:40

Nature-Based Learning with The Beach School

Earth Matters ·

2025/12/15

The Beach School in Port Dickson started with something simple: a family that loved the sea and wanted to protect it. Over time, Kent Leong and his wife turned their weekend cleanups and curiosity about marine life into a community education initiative rooted in nature-based learning. Now, The Beach School invites people of all ages to explore, discover, and build a more mindful relationship with the coastline. We speak to Kent about how the school works, what it stands for, and why coastal

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38:08

Indigenous Leaders Speak Out Against LNG Canada

Earth Matters ·

2025/12/10

A First Nations delegation from British Columbia, Canada, was in Kuala Lumpur to deliver a formal complaint to PETRONAS. Their complaint centers on PETRONAS’ investment in LNG Canada and its associated Coastal GasLink pipeline, which they say has violated their Indigenous rights, damaged sacred sites, and led to police violence on their territory. This World Human Rights Day, we speak to Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief Na’Moks and Jesse Stoeppler (Gwii Lok'im Gibuu), representing the Wet’suwet’en and

en-US

47:45

The Case Against the Batu Arang Incinerator

Earth Matters ·

2025/12/08

Selangor is running out of landfill space, and the state’s solution is a large waste-to-energy incinerator proposed for Batu Arang. But thousands of residents who are living near schools, homes, and even old coal-mining tunnels there, say the risks are far too high. To help us make sense of what’s happening, we speak to Abdul Hanan Bin Abd Mokti and Pauline Puah, both spokespeople from Jaringan Rawang Tolak Incinerator, who have been at the forefront of this fight. They share how they've faced

en-US

34:51

Inside 25 Years of Tiger Trafficking

Earth Matters ·

2025/12/03

Even after 50 years of the highest possible international protection under CITES, tigers continue to be poached and trafficked at alarming levels. A new 25-year analysis - Beyond Skin and Bones: A 25-Year Analysis of Tiger Seizures - puts this into stark perspective, showing that thousands of tigers have been seized across dozens of countries, and that criminal networks are increasingly sophisticated in how they operate. To walk us through what the report uncovered, why the trade persists, and what

en-US

41:21

Key Takeaways from COP30 in Belém

Earth Matters ·

2025/12/01

The world watched Belém closely as leaders gathered for COP30, hoping the talks would deliver stronger climate action. Meenakshi Raman (President, Sahabat Alam Malaysia and Head of Programmes, Third World Network) was there in the thick of this year's climate negotiations, and she joins us to break down the wins, the gaps, and share the stories that didn’t make global headlines.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

31:20

How Online Sales Are Harming Malaysia's Sharks & Rays

Earth Matters ·

2025/11/26

Sharks and rays may feel like abundant, everyday seafood in Malaysia, but new research suggests that the demand is much bigger and more complex than we think, especially online. The report From Sea to Screen shows huge volumes of these species being traded on digital platforms, including critically endangered species. We are joined by two of the co-authors - Serene Chng, Programme Manager of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, and Serena Adam, Senior Marine Conservation Officer at WWF-Malaysia - to help us

en-US

40:47

Nature Reads: The Sunda Sh(Elves) Christmas Special 2025

Earth Matters ·

2025/11/24

It is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, and for this Nature Reads special we thought we'd do something a little different. Instead of having one of the Sunda Shelves team as our usual guest co-host, we have all three on the show - co-founders/ sh(elves) Surin Suksuwan, Jennifer Neoh Tan, and Dylan Jefri Ong. Together they will be sharing their own top picks of books on nature and conservation that are must-haves, and that shaped their own love of nature and reading. They'll also share

en-US

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