We are at the end of 2024 – again, it’s been quite a year for the planet, and we take a look back at some of the top news covered by environmental journalism portal Macaranga with co-founders, Wong Siew Lyn and Law Yao Hua. We discuss how carbon emissions are still rising, and how forest conservation (or the lack thereof) is playing a part in that, before we turn our attention to mangrove conservation in Malaysia. We then discuss how Malaysia’s newly-identified Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) are a win for conservation and citizen science, before examining how the illegal wildlife trade is thriving, boosted by online trading, and in spite of conservation methods such legalising the breeding and trade of certain species. Finally, how is global warming exacerbating existing environmental challenges like flooding and coral bleaching? We discuss all this and more.

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