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 of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, also known as the BBNJ or High Seas Treaty, matters for Malaysia, and the wider ocean.

Image Credit: Reef Check Malaysia

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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 books that range from environmental classics and Indigenous knowledge, to science writing and field guides rooted in Malaysia.

Books discussed on this episode include:

1. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

2. Soil and Soul by Alistair McIntosh

3. The Orang Asli and the Contest for Resources by Colin Nicholas

4. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

5. Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky

6. Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez

7. An Immense World by Ed Yong

8. Birds of Malaysia - Lim Kim Seng, Yong Ding Li & Lim Kim Chuah

1. 9. Beyond Mimo's Tree by Abyan Junus-Nishizawa & Farah Landemaine

2. 10. A Naturalist’s Guide to the Trees of Southeast Asia - Saw Leng Guan

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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 implications. Joining us is Yuenmei Wong, an independent researcher and consultant to UN agencies, who has spent years studying Waste-to-Energy projects in Malaysia and globally, and who has been actively involved in analysing and responding to current proposals here. We discuss the realities, misconceptions, and policy implications of WtE, and also ask the big question: if not this, then what?

Editor's note: The Bukit Nanas hazardous waste plant was modelled after the Danish hazardous waste treatment facility, Kommunekemi, located in Nyborg. It is therefore Danish, not Dutch, as mentioned in the interview. Our apologies for the error.

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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 Hansrajh Kumaresan, Head of Legal Advocacy at RimbaWatch.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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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, and what visitors can expect, we’re joined by Wendi Sia, the Co-Founder of Gerimis Art.

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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 Botanical Garden, and the curator and writer of the exhibition, and also Vivian Soon, a Wildlife and Conservation Officer at the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), and Project Coordinator for Rantaian Urban Green Spaces (RUGS), an initiative linking urban green spaces across the Klang Valley. 

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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 Climate Watch Thailand, who works at the intersection of climate justice, policy, and grassroots action.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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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 biodiversity found there, the pressures the area is facing, and how a new initiative called The Glow Campaign is turning concern into collective action. Helping us do that are Tan Boon Hua, the Vice President of environmental rights NGO the Friends of Bukit Kiara, and Amelia Tan, the Founder and CEO of the social enterprise Conscious.

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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 chemicals and toward climate-smart, community-led farming.  

Image Credit: PANAP

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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 education feels so urgent now.

Image Credit: The Beach School

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