Ecotourism offers significant benefits to both people and the planet by promoting responsible travel that conserves the environment, sustains local communities, and fosters cultural appreciation. The Sustainable Tourism Network Malaysia is a platform aimed at fostering responsible travel and supporting operators in adopting more sustainable approaches. We find out more about their work and plans from Justine Vaz, the Executive Director of The Habitat Foundation and Mariam Ghani, a Senior Programme Manager with The Habitat Foundation, and the Lead for the Sustainable Tourism Network Malaysia. We also discuss some hidden ecotourism gems in Malaysia, including the Perlis Geopark, which offers travellers beautiful forests, limestone hills, caves and more.

Ecotourism offers significant benefits to both people and the planet by promoting responsible travel that conserves the environment, sustains local communities, and fosters cultural appreciation. The Sustainable Tourism Network Malaysia is a platform aimed at fostering responsible travel and supporting operators in adopting more sustainable approaches. We find out more about their work and plans from Justine Vaz, the Executive Director of The Habitat Foundation and Mariam Ghani, a Senior Programme Manager with The Habitat Foundation, and the Lead for the Sustainable Tourism Network Malaysia. We also discuss some hidden ecotourism gems in Malaysia, including the Perlis Geopark, which offers travellers beautiful forests, limestone hills, caves and more.

Climate change, ferocious weather and ‘the haze’ are now part our everyday lives. How are our lifestyles connected to them, and what can we do about it? What does the economy have to do with it? Earth Matters engages with activists and experts to explore our changing relationship with the planet that we only borrow from our children.

Earth Matters

Exploring Conservation Through Sustainable Tourism

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

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 <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ajrimba.org/home-en">AJ Rimba Collective</a>, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sharina Abdul Halim, the Deputy Director of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ukm.my/lestari/ms/">LESTARI UKM</a>, 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 / <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://selangor.travel/geopark/">Selangor.travel</a>

Conservation, Community, and the Gombak-Hulu Langat Geopark

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.

In a city as dynamic as Kuala Lumpur, the drive for urban renewal brings both opportunities and challenges. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.klraplus.org/">KLRA+ SD</a>, 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.&nbsp; 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.

What Is Equitable Urban Renewal?

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

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

Exploring Conservation Through Sustainable Tourism

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