Earth Matters

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

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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

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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 credit: Shutterstock / Bernard S Tjandra

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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 mechanisms to directly address loss and damage once a climate catastrophe hits? Why is loss and damage in particular, such a contentious issue in climate talks? We discuss this and more with Meenakshi Raman, the President of Sahabat Alam Malaysia, and Head of Programmes at the Third World Network (TWN).

Image credit: Flickr / IRIN photos

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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

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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.

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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 Forest Society. 

*Click here if you’d like to support SACF’s crowdfunding campaign for legal fees.

Image credit: Shah Alam Community Forest Society

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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

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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

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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

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