Earth Matters

Malaysia recently conducted a mid-term review of its National Policy on Biological Diversity (NPBD) 2016 - 2025, in response to the adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) in December 2022. The new strategy was unveiled yesterday, the 24th of October 2023, and aims to fulfil global biodiversity targets by 2030. This is a crucial moment for Malaysia's dedication to conserving its natural heritage, and its involvement in the worldwide endeavour to safeguard biodiversity. We discuss Malaysia's incredible rich biodiversity, but also its significance within the evolving policy landscape of Malaysia, while also looking at the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in terms of protecting the rich biodiversity of our planet with Lakshmi Lavanya Rama Iyer, the Director of Policy & Climate Change at WWF-Malaysia.

Image Credit: 123RF/rebius, truengtra, naypong, shperspectives

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Protecting coasts and oceans has multiple benefits for the environment, economy, society and culture, and in line with that, Malaysia is working hard to increase its biodiversity-rich coastal and marine protected areas (MPAs) by 2025. To date, Malaysia has protected only 5% of its ocean area, but the goal is to double that to protect at least 10% of its total land and marine areas, in line with the National Biodiversity Policy and the international Convention on Biological Diversity to which Malaysia is signatory. So how do we get there? What roles do traditional knowledge and culture play in all of this? We discuss this and more with Dr Jarina Mohd Jani, a Biocultural Conservationist at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, and Wong Siew Lyn, the co-founder of Macaranga, who has written a host of articles on these very topics, under Macaranga's #Seaworld series.

Image Credit: Department of Fisheries Malaysia

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Themed “Economic Reforms, Empowering the People,” Budget 2024 was announced on the 13th of October 2023, by Malaysia's Prime Minister & Finance Minister, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The Second Belanjawan MADANI has allocated RM393.8 billion - the highest budget ever tabled by any government in Malaysia’s history, with RM90 billion from the total allocated for development expenditure. We speak to three experts to discuss both highlights and missed opportunities from Budget 2024 in terms of allocations for the environment, covering biodiversity and nature conservation, the ESG agenda, and the transition towards a low-carbon economy, among others. Joining us to do that are Surin Suksuwan (Biodiversity Conservationist and Sustainability Practitioner), Dr Helena Varkkey (Associate Professor of Environmental Politics and Governance, Universiti Malaya) and Affendi Yang Amri (Coral Reef Ecologist, Universiti Malaya, and President, Malaysian Society of Marine Sciences).

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KNOTs - or Knowledge: New Old Twists - is a social enterprise dedicated to promoting engaging and meaningful learning experiences for children, regardless of location. They do this through their Vanishing Classroom, which reintroduces outdoor and traditional learning methods to 21st-century students, and they encourage the utilisation of ecological ecosystems and outdoor environments. Their goal is to offer kids an immersive, hands-on education that goes beyond simply transferring knowledge, instead, they aim to create platforms that encourage skill application and practice. We speak to the co-founders of KNOTS, Johleen Koh and Nor Shidawati Abdul Rasid to find out more.  

Image Credit: KNOTs

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Two years after filing a defamation lawsuit against Indigenous grassroots organisation SAVE Rivers — logging company Samling withdrew the case, with a joint agreement between both parties. Following the successful outcome for SAVE Rivers, we caught up with the organisation's chairman and founding member, Peter Kallang, to discuss the group's plans moving forward.

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Two years after filing a defamation lawsuit against Indigenous grassroots organisation SAVE Rivers, the logging company Samling withdrew the case with a joint agreement between both parties. Initially headed to the Miri High Court for trial on Monday, 18th September, the case was cancelled after a last minute settlement. We spoke to the lawyer representing SAVE RIVERS, Simon Siah, about the history of the case, and what this joint agreement means for both parties moving forward. We also caught up with Jettie Word, the Executive Director of The Borneo Project, to discuss the local and global support and campaigns that were launched in solidarity with SAVE RIVERS.

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Many of us rejoiced at the birth of baby Axel, the first-ever gibbon born at a rehabilitation centre in Malaysia to rescued parents Ebony and Coley. For the first time after 10 years of operations, the Gibbon Conservation Society (GCS) of Malaysia finally has a family so close to being released back into the wild, but before that can happen, Ebony, Coley and Axel will be closely monitored to ensure that they can survive and function like a proper gibbon family there. This process also includes health checks, food, release site surveys, equipment, and more, which GCS are currently fundraising for. We speak to Stephanie Theresa, the Vice President GCS, to find out more. 

Image Credit: Infinim Creative Productions/Stephanie Theresa

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WCS-Malaysia’s main activities revolve around helping the Malaysian government in conducting biological monitoring and supporting protection efforts of wildlife such as tiger, elephant, orang-utan as well as sharks and rays. Wildlife conservationist Dr. Mark Rayan Darmaraj assumed the role of Country Director for WCS-Malaysia back in 2021, and continues to work on implementing conservation strategies that protect habitats and species. We catch up with Mark to discuss WCS-Malaysia's work in more detail, specifically the group’s work on crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. 

Image Credits: WCS Malaysia

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The co-founders of environmental journalism portal Macaranga, Law Yao Hua and Wong Siew Lyn, join us for a round-up of top environmental news from September 2023. This month, we look at big legal cases involving indigenous communities and their long-standing struggle for customary land rights in Malaysia, and how we expect to see even more legal suits concerning these issues playing out in the courtroom. Still on the topic of legal suits, we also discuss the implications of a recent Court of Appeal judgement in favour of a cement manufacturer carrying on quarrying in Perak's Gunung Kanthan, which would result in both the loss of biodiversity and a Buddhist monastery in the area. Finally we discuss what Malaysia's National Energy Transition Roadmap might look like - how are we planning to phase out coal by 2045 and increase solar energy, and are we considering nuclear energy to help minimise our emissions?

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Raised in Canada, residing in Malaysia, Anuar McAfee's background is in the field of education, but he is also an avid photographer, birder, conservationist, and author of the bilingual bird guidebook, Birds of Terengganu. The Director of the International Centre at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), and a committee member of the Malaysian Nature Society's Kuala Terengganu branch, Anuar uses the power of photography to help more of us understand the beauty and wonders of nature, while also sharing important reminders of all the natural heritage that needs protection in our beloved country. He joins us to share more about his passion for wildlife and bird photography, and how images can inspire conservation and environmental awareness, especially as we face the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

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