Earth Matters

Every year, Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) coordinates the nationwide International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) event, held annually in September since 2018. Organisations, groups and individuals collect data during the cleanup and key in data into the Clean Swell app to contribute to the global database of cleanups by Ocean Conservancy. This year, over 8,500 volunteers from all around Malaysia collected 41,015kg of trash during the annual event, and among the 388,730 items collected, the most common item found was plastic bottles at 50,785 bottles. We explore this year's beach cleanup data, and the ongoing major crisis of marine debris with Theresa Ng, the Chief Operating Officer of Reef Check Malaysia.

Image credit: Reef Check Malaysia

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In the heart of Selangor lies the newly established Gombak-Hulu Langat Geopark, a 112,955-hectare area that integrates natural beauty with community-centred conservation. Officially launched by the Sultan of Selangor, this Geopark is an evolving effort toward UNESCO Global Geopark status. We explore this journey with Noina Baharuddin, the Coordinator of the AJ Rimba Collective, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sharina Abdul Halim, the Deputy Director of LESTARI UKM, who have been working together to promote the Geopark, and who want to ensure that the Geopark’s diverse landscapes, from forests to geosites, remain protected and appreciated.

Image credits: Shutterstock, Tourism Selangor / Selangor.travel

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In a city as dynamic as Kuala Lumpur, the drive for urban renewal brings both opportunities and challenges. KLRA+ SD, a network of resident associations, NGOs, and academic institutions, is dedicated to advocating for policies that prioritise community interests over purely transactional property development. We speak to Tan Booi Charn (Chairperson, KLRA+ SD), Han Jun Siew (Volunteer, KLRA+ SD) and independent researcher Peter Leong, to discuss KLRA+ SD's efforts to create a sustainable and liveable Kuala Lumpur.  They will also touch on pressing concerns surrounding the proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA), discussing issues like the role of DBKL, transparency in redevelopment processes, social safeguards for residents, and the importance of responsible urban renewal that respects community voices.

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Despite being home to some of the world’s most unique species, Malaysia ranks 106th on the 2024 Nature Conservation Index (NCI), underscoring both its rich biodiversity, and the many risks it faces. The index, which evaluates conservation efforts globally, points to challenges like land management, invasive species, and climate change as key areas for improvement. We speak to biologist Chrishen Gomez from Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, to discuss the NCI’s methodology and findings, and what Malaysia’s rank indicates for its nature conservation efforts.

Image credit: Shutterstock

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In Kuching, outdated drainage infrastructure and rapid urbanisation have exacerbated flash flooding, leaving residents vulnerable and frequently facing severe property damage and safety risks. Persistent heavy rainfall, worsened by climate change, causes rivers to swell and drains to overflow, inundating homes, cars, and streets. For locals living there, flooding is a recurring crisis, disrupting lives, destroying belongings, and even bringing wildlife hazards into urban areas. While government efforts are underway to improve drainage systems, experts and flood management researchers urge a more comprehensive approach that includes sustainable urban planning, updated infrastructure, and accessible flood data to better prepare for the city’s evolving environmental challenges. All this and more are explored in Macaranga's latest article, Fighting Floods with Better Drainage in Kuching, and we discuss the research and findings on this with Liani MK, a contributing writer with Macaranga who wrote the piece, Wong Siew Lyn, Editor, Macaranga, and Dr Charles Bong, a hydrology and urban drainage management researcher, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).

Image credit: Arieff Zafir (via Macaranga.org)

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The 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), will take place from the 11th to the 22nd November 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Described as a "pivotal opportunity to accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis" what are the key focus areas for these talks, and what's at stake? We chat with Meenakshi Raman, the President of Sahabat Alam Malaysia, to discuss this and more.

Image credit: Shutterstock

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Malaysia is home to ten hornbill species, who play vital roles in preserving the delicate balance of our natural ecosystems. But these beautiful and iconic birds face threats such as habitat loss, poaching, and also suffer from the effects of climate change. We explore how conservation efforts - driven by science and community involvement - are giving hornbills a fighting chance in Malaysia’s rainforests. Joining us are wildlife researcher Dr. Ravinder Kaur (Wildlife Researcher, CoFounder, xploregaia, Scientific Director, GAIA and a lecturer at Sunway University) and Dr. Hjh Yatela Zainal Abidin (CEO, Sime Darby Foundation) to share insights into the challenges and triumphs of conserving these magnificent creatures, the vital role hornbills play in the ecosystem, and the groundbreaking efforts being made to protect their habitats. We also discuss the inaugural National Hornbill Day, which is set to be celebrated on the 10th of November 2024.

Image credit: Shutterstock

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In a follow up interview, we speak to Datuk Dr. John Payne, the CEO of Bringing Back Our Rare Animals (BORA), a pioneering conservation organisation based in Sabah. Originally founded to prevent the extinction of the Sumatran or Hairy rhinoceros, BORA has now expanded its focus to include efforts to boost wild food productivity for endangered species such as Bornean orangutans, elephants, and the often-overlooked native wild cattle species. Dr. Payne shares insights into BORA’s unique approach to wildlife conservation, particularly how enhancing food supply for prey species plays a critical role in sustaining larger predators and promoting ecosystem balance.

Image credit: Shutterstock

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Macaranga Wrap-Up is our ongoing monthly series done in collaboration with the co-founders of environmental journalism portal Macaranga, where we cover the top environmental news from the month past. This October, we cover Malaysia's proposed Climate Change Act and what it will hopefully encapsulate, before turning our attention to extra responsibilities for Op Bersepadu Khazanah (OBK) operations, which will now also include safeguarding Malaysia's rare earth element (REE) and mineral deposit sites in forests. Finally we discuss the abrupt cancellation of the multi million ringgit Upper Baram Forest Area project in Sarawak. Joining us this month is Wong Siew Lyn, writer and co-founder of Macaranga.

Photo Credit: Baram Peace Park

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Budget 2025 was announced on the 18th of October 2024, by Malaysia's Prime Minister & Finance Minister, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim. We speak to Meenakshi Raman, the President of Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) and Head of Programmes at the Third World Network, to discuss both highlights and missed opportunities from Budget 2025 in terms of allocations for the environment. 

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Image credit: Shutterstock

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