As we conclude the first month of the year, it's also time for a quick roundup of top environmental stories from the month that was January 2024 - as always, we're joined by the co-founders of environmental journalism portal Macaranga, Wong Siew Lyn and Law Yao Hua. It's not all peachy on the environmental news front - first, we discuss updates from the shocking 2019 chemical toxic waste pollution that happened in and around Sg Kim Kim, in Pasir Gudang, Johor. Next, we discuss how the Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal of two NGOs, PEKA and SACF, to initiate judicial review proceedings to challenge the degazettement of Bukit Cherakah as a forest reserve. Finally we head to East Malaysia, where the Sarawak state government is proceeding with plans to construct three more hydroelectric dams, despite several objections and concerns by locals living in and around the areas that will be affected.  



Image credit from left to right:

top: Shutterstock Inc, Shah Alam Community Forest Society

bottom: Shutterstock Inc, Shutterstock Inc

As we conclude the first month of the year, it's also time for a quick roundup of top environmental stories from the month that was January 2024 - as always, we're joined by the co-founders of environmental journalism portal <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://macaranga.org/">Macaranga</a>, Wong Siew Lyn and Law Yao Hua. It's not all peachy on the environmental news front - first, we discuss updates from the shocking 2019 chemical toxic waste pollution that happened in and around Sg Kim Kim, in Pasir Gudang, Johor. Next, we discuss how the Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal of two NGOs, PEKA and SACF, to initiate judicial review proceedings to challenge the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bfm.my/podcast/bigger-picture/earth-matters/dubious-degazettement-of-the-bukit-cherakah-forest-reserve">degazettement</a> of Bukit Cherakah as a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.macaranga.org/navigating-the-multiverse-of-forest-data-peninsular-malaysia/">forest reserve</a>. Finally we head to East Malaysia, where the Sarawak state government is proceeding with plans to construct three more hydroelectric <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.macaranga.org/perak-dams-threaten-stone-spirits-and-ancestral-graves/">dams</a>, despite several objections and concerns by locals living in and around the areas that will be affected.&nbsp;&nbsp;Image credit from left to right:top: Shutterstock Inc, Shah Alam Community Forest Societybottom: Shutterstock Inc, Shutterstock Inc

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.

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