Earth Matters

Water, water everywhere, but is there enough to drink? Fresh water is necessary for the survival of all living organisms on Earth, and even though Malaysia is blessed with abundant water resources, are we taking this resource for granted? Joining us is Yang Bahagia, Dato' Mohd Ridhuan Ismail, the CEO of the National Water Services Commission or Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara (SPAN) to discuss how we need to take this natural resource of ours more seriously.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Description: We revisit some of the best interviews from Earth Matters, from 2018. On this episode, we look-back at stories of those who are dedicated to conserving endangered wildlife. Featured stories include efforts in gibbon conservation, the fight to save the Tapanuli Orangutan and also the Malayan Tiger.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We revisit some of the best interviews from Earth Matters, from 2018. On this episode, we look-back at inspiring stories of concerned citizens who banded together to protect our natural resources and environment from further degradation. Featured stories are Selamatkan Kuala Lumpur's efforts to improve city planning; The Taman Tun residents’ ongoing battle to protect Taman Rimba Kiara from development and finally, how residents of Taman Amansuria and environmental NGO's are working to protect the Bukit Lagong Forest Reserve from being degazetted for a proposed housing development project.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pulau Kukup National Park is one of the largest uninhabited mangrove forests in the world, and the island was declared a “Wetland of International Importance” under the RAMSAR Convention 1971, back in 2003. News that the national park was to be de-gazetted and converted to sultanate land has caused an uproar and much confusion, so we wade through the muddy waters to find out what's really happening with Dr. Ahmad Aldrie Amir, a Senior Lecturer and Research Fellow, and Coordinator of the Malaysian Mangrove Research Alliance and Network (MyMangrove).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parts of the Bukit Lagong Forest Reserve might be degazetted for a proposed housing development project. We speak to Tan Sri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor, the spokesperson for the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), Treat Every Environment Special (TrEES) and Global Environment Center (GEC), and Ange Tan, a resident of Taman Amansiara, about the history of Bukit Lagong and why it's an important forest reserve for Malaysians. We will also discuss what the impact of development on this area might be to biodiversity and public safety, while also sharing how residents who oppose the project can provide feedback and/ or their objections to the proposed project.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fight to save Taman Rimba Kiara from development is far from over. The recently gazetted Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020 - which was made public on the 12th of November - reveals that the park has been rezoned with the possibility for future development. We speak to Hafiz Abu Bakar, the Chairman of the TTDI Residents Association and Leon Koay, a member of the Save Taman Rimba Kiara Working Group about this new twist in this plot, and why they believe this new plan contains flawed zoning of Taman Rimba Kiara (TRK).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of the United Nations climate talks next week, Ambassador Artur Lorkowski is in town to discuss Poland’s preparation as host of the event and what challenges lie ahead for climate action. This year, the UNFCCC COP24 will be held in Katowice, Poland from the 3rd to the 14th of December and one of the key outcomes is expected to be the Katowice Rulebook that will decide the practical details of how the Paris Agreement will be in implemented when it comes into effect in 2020.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Central Forest Spine (CFS) Master Plan for Ecological Linkages is arguably the most important conservation initiative in Malaysia. It was created in 2009 as a government effort to protect biodiversity and ecosystem services by securing landscape connectivity between Peninsular Malaysia’s main forest blocks. Although an excellent and exciting plan on paper, its implementation is proving to be more challenging. Joining us to explain why the CFS is so important for wildlife conservation and the main challenges facing its implementation, are Dr. Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz, the Principal Investigator at the Management and Ecology of Malaysian Elephants (MEME) and Ange Tan, a Project Coordinator at Wild Asia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Budget 2018 was said to not have effectively addressed Malaysia's core environmental issues, so has Budget 2019 filled those gaps, especially in terms of more protection of our natural resources and environment? Joining us to discuss if conservation of the environment was prioritised in this year's budget, is Surin Suksuwan, a conservationist and member of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A book that educates children on the current plight of the Sumatran Rhinoceros, Let's Try Something New is the second book by authors Abyan Junus-Nishizawa and Farah Landemaine. We find out more about their sophomore project, and how they hope to inspire a new generation of budding conservationists through their books.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.