Earth Matters

The International Community has designated “Sustainable Development” as a central issue for the future of humanity. Here in Malaysia, the Environmental Protection Society Malaysia or EPSM, has been working towards that goal for about two decades now, through its Local Communities and the Environment programme, and also its ‘Sustainable Living in Malaysia’ (SLiM) programme. Nithi Nesadurai, the President of the Environmental Protection Society Malaysia, joins us to share more about the work carried out by the organisation, and to discuss the upcoming Sustainability Malaysia – SLiM 2017 conference, which is themed "Hope and Promise for the Future."

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With over 1,300 species, bats illustrate many key issues in ecology and evolution, from the beauty of their unique biology to their importance for ecosystem services, disease and conservation. Now, scientists here have discovered that Southeast Asia’s highly popular durian tree is pollinated by locally endangered fruit bats known as flying foxes. By putting camera traps in durian trees on Tioman Island, Malaysia, researchers collected video evidence showing the island flying fox (Pteropus hypomelanus) pollinating durian flowers, leading to the production of healthy durian fruit. Dr. Sheema Abdul Aziz, the Co-Founder, President and Principal Investigator at Rimba, led the study in Malaysia as part of her PhD under the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (France). She joins us to share her findings.

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Many studies in recent years have investigated the effects of climate change on the future of biodiversity. Ongoing future climate change will likely create a perfect storm for biodiversity, exacerbating the effects of existing stressors and adding new direct stressors to push many species and ecosystems into extinction or system transformation. Dr. Lesley Lancaster, a macroecologist and evolutionary biologist, conducts research on the biology of climate change across a wide range of insect and plant study systems. She joins us to discuss her areas of research and to explore why predicting the response of biodiversity to climate change plays an important role for scientists and decision makers.

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Gunung Palung National Park is a diverse ecosystem of mangroves, swamp and montane forests southeast of Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Sadly, 20% of the unfenced national park is reportedly lost to logging and farming in the past two decades. Much of the illegal logging has ended, but conservation awareness remains weak. A local non-profit organization, Alam Sehat Lestari (ASRI) works on protecting the environment by improving quality of life for local communities, including providing a series of environmental classes for children and teenagers. We join one of the classes with the ASRI Teens Enggang group.

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It’s been years since Ewok Perai last set foot in the Temiar village he once called home. The highland communities there made national headlines last year when they built several blockades to stop deforestation. Journey to Raya Padi (Ke Raya Padi) is a film that follows Ewok's journey home for the Temiar celebration and the Semais and Temiars he meets along the way. We speak to one of the director’s of the film, Nik Jassmin Hew, about the issues being tackled in the film, and her hopes for it.

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It has become increasingly obvious that issues of energy and environment cannot be ignored if development, economic fortitude, and societal well-being are the goals of a country. Back in 2011, Malaysia had an ambitious plan to build a “green economy”, in line with this. We discuss what a truly green economy looks like and what Malaysia's national green economy framework reflects, with YBhg. Dato' Seri Ir. Dr. Zaini bin Ujang, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water (KeTTHA) Malaysia.

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Thousands of elephants are being abused for entertainment around Asia, according to a new report by the international non-profit animal welfare organization, World Animal Protection. In conjunction with World Elephant Day which was just celebrated on the 12th of August, we speak to Dr. Jan Schmidt-Burbach, a Senior wildlife and veterinary advisor at World Animal Protection about these troubling findings, and we also discuss the importance of putting a stop to the practice of exploiting elephants for entertainment.

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By 2050, the world population will reach 9.5 billion, 70 per cent of which will live in resource-intensive urban areas. As economic growth also accelerates, the signals are getting clearer: the Earth’s natural resources and ecosystems will simply not support ‘business as usual’ for much longer. Goal 12 of the UN's sustainable development goals (SDGs) aims at ensuring sustainable consumption and production (SCP) patterns. We discuss why this is imperative for sustainable development with Dr Anthony Chiu and Dr Hari Ramalu Ragavan, who are both involved with the 13th Asia Pacific Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (APRSCP).

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The endless cycle of want and an unsustainable approach to growth and consumption has gotten the earth - and all of us in it - into a lot of trouble. Everything we consume comes from the natural world of finite resources, so how does one move away from uncontrolled consumption into a sustainable existence? We speak to Aurora Tin, who has embarked on a zero-waste lifestyle, consuming only what's necessary and producing as little trash as possible. She joins us to share her story

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Richard Heinberg is an American journalist and educator specialized in energy, economic, and ecological issues. A Senior Fellow at the Post Carbon Institute, Richard is considered one of the world’s foremost advocates for a shift away from our current reliance on fossil fuels. He joins us to discuss realistic avenues for transitioning to renewable energy, the environmental implications of economic growth, and how we can build more resiliency into the sustainability movement.

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