The Mak Jintan peat swamp forest in Terengganu is the last known virgin peat swamp in Peninsular Malaysia. Peatlands are essential ecosystems, teeming with biodiversity and playing a critical role in carbon storage and water regulation. So when plans emerged to convert the Mak Jintan peat swamp forest into an oil palm plantation, it sparked significant concern among scientists, conservationists, and even an industry regulator. We speak to Law Yao Hua, an environmental journalist and co-founder of environmental journalism portal Macaranga, about his recent investigations into this project, and we also explore the importance of these fragile ecosystems, and discuss sustainable ways to protect and manage them. 


Image Credit: YH Law

The Mak Jintan peat swamp forest in Terengganu is the last known virgin peat swamp in Peninsular Malaysia. Peatlands are essential ecosystems, teeming with biodiversity and playing a critical role in carbon storage and water regulation. So when plans emerged to convert the Mak Jintan peat swamp forest into an oil palm plantation, it sparked significant concern among scientists, conservationists, and even an industry regulator. We speak to Law Yao Hua, an environmental journalist and co-founder of environmental journalism portal Macaranga, about his recent <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.macaranga.org/embed/peat/peatforest.html">investigations</a> into this project, and we also explore the importance of these fragile ecosystems, and discuss sustainable ways to protect and manage them.&nbsp; Image Credit: YH Law

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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The Heat on Peat - A Look at Tropical Peat Swamp Forests

It's time for another roundup of top environmental news from the month past, with Macaranga's co-founders Wong Siew Lyn and Law Yao Hua. On this month's list, we have updates on EU’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and how environmental and rights groups have called on the EU to classify Sarawak as "high risk" under these new anti-deforestation regulations, and we also have updates on the first rhino horn smuggling incident to be heard in a Malaysian court, related to one of the largest rhino horn seizures in Malaysia. Finally, we look at the ruling earlier this month that hydropower companies constructing a dam on Indigenous Semai land in Perak state had not obtained proper consent and must cease operations immediately.


Photo credits:

- Rhino horns arranged before burn Talukdar David / Shutterstock.com

- Deforestation in Borneo by Rich Carey / Shutterstock.com

- Gopeng Ulu Geruntum Water Fall / commons.wikimedia.org

It's time for another roundup of top environmental news from the month past, with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.macaranga.org/">Macaranga</a>'s co-founders Wong Siew Lyn and Law Yao Hua. On this month's list, we have updates on EU’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and how environmental and rights groups have called on the EU to classify Sarawak as "high risk" under these new anti-deforestation regulations, and we also have updates on the first rhino horn smuggling incident to be heard in a Malaysian court, related to one of the largest rhino horn seizures in Malaysia. Finally, we look at the ruling earlier this month that hydropower companies constructing a dam on Indigenous Semai land in Perak state had not obtained proper consent and must cease operations immediately. Photo credits:- Rhino horns arranged before burn Talukdar David / <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Shutterstock.com">Shutterstock.com</a>- Deforestation in Borneo by Rich Carey / <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Shutterstock.com">Shutterstock.com</a>- Gopeng Ulu Geruntum Water Fall / <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://commons.wikimedia.org">commons.wikimedia.org</a>

Macaranga Wrap-Up: September 2024

As part of its Environmental Vision 2050, the Daikin Group has the ambition to become carbon-neutral across all its activities by 2050. They have also launched an initiative to collect refrigerants from installers in a recovery and recycling initiative. What does this all actually entail? We learn more about the 3 R's of Refrigerants - Recovering, Recycling and Reclaiming - from Linda Wong, the Deputy General Manager of Conformity & Compliance from Daikin Research and Development Malaysia. Linda also shares more about Daikin Malaysia's pilot project campaign called Save the Earth: Exchange for the Future Generation.

As part of its Environmental Vision 2050, the Daikin Group has the ambition to become carbon-neutral across all its activities by 2050. They have also launched an initiative to collect <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.daikinmalaysia.com/refrigerant-recovery-what-it-is-and-how-it-works/">refrigerants</a> from installers in a recovery and recycling initiative. What does this all actually entail? We learn more about the 3 R's of Refrigerants - Recovering, Recycling and Reclaiming - from Linda Wong, the Deputy General Manager of Conformity &amp; Compliance from Daikin Research and Development Malaysia. Linda also shares more about Daikin Malaysia's pilot project campaign called <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.daikinmalaysia.com/save-the-earth-exchange-for-the-future-generation/">Save the Earth: Exchange for the Future Generation</a>.

Recovering, Recycling, and Reclaiming Refrigerants

We delve into the hidden treasures of the Nenggiri River caves and the looming environmental threats posed by the RM5 billion Nenggiri Hydroelectric Project in Kelantan. While the dam is expected to generate renewable energy, create 2,000 new jobs, and mitigate flood issues, it comes at a steep cost. For the Orang Asli in Gua Musang, this project will submerge 5,834 hectares of their ancestral forests, forcing them from their homeland and erasing vital traces of Temiar history. Joining us are Gideon Lim and Nicholas Tan, co-founders of the Malaysia Carnivorous Plants group (MyCP), who embarked on an expedition to explore these ancient caves back in 2022. Together, they share their firsthand experiences of discovering botanical wonders, some of which are found nowhere else on Earth, and shed light on the dam's irreversible impact on biodiversity, cultural heritage, and the lives of the indigenous Orang Asli communities.

We delve into the hidden treasures of the Nenggiri River caves and the looming environmental threats posed by the RM5 billion Nenggiri Hydroelectric Project in Kelantan. While the dam is expected to generate renewable energy, create 2,000 new jobs, and mitigate flood issues, it comes at a steep cost. For the Orang Asli in Gua Musang, this project will submerge 5,834 hectares of their ancestral forests, forcing them from their homeland and erasing vital traces of Temiar history. Joining us are Gideon Lim and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/the_budget_scientist/">Nicholas Tan</a>, co-founders of the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/MalaysiaCarnivorousPlant">Malaysia Carnivorous Plants group</a> (MyCP), who embarked on an expedition to explore these ancient caves back in 2022. Together, they share their firsthand experiences of discovering botanical wonders, some of which are found nowhere else on Earth, and shed light on the dam's irreversible impact on biodiversity, cultural heritage, and the lives of the indigenous Orang Asli communities.

The Heat on Peat - A Look at Tropical Peat Swamp Forests

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