The haze is back. For the past few days, many of us have been waking up to that familiar smell, hazier skies and air that we're really not supposed to be breathing. While the immediate question is where the smoke is coming from, there's a bigger question here: why, after decades of haze crises, are we still dealing with this? We look at what's driving this latest haze episode, revisit some of Malaysia's worst haze years, and ask whether we've actually learned anything from them with Heng Kiah Chun, Country Representative of Greenpeace Malaysia, who's been following and campaigning on this issue for years. 

Image Credit: Shutterstock

The haze is back. For the past few days, many of us have been waking up to that familiar smell, hazier skies and air that we're really not supposed to be breathing. While the immediate question is where the smoke is coming from, there's a bigger question here: why, after decades of haze crises, are we still dealing with this? We look at what's driving this latest haze episode, revisit some of Malaysia's worst haze years, and ask whether we've actually learned anything from them with Heng Kiah Chun, Country Representative of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.greenpeace.org/malaysia/story/64781/solving-haze-zilla-before-the-next-godzilla-el-nino/?utm_campaign=climate-justice">Greenpeace Malaysia</a>, who's been following and campaigning on this issue for years.&nbsp;Image Credit: Shutterstock

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

Why Is Malaysia Still Battling Haze?

A plan to protect one of Sarawak’s remaining rainforest landscapes has instead ended with a major timber concession over the same forests, according to a new report about the Upper Baram. For years, Penan and other Indigenous communities in the region have pushed for their forests to be protected through what began as the Penan Peace Park and later became the Baram Peace Park. The idea eventually became a government-backed project with international support. But the report, Plundering the Baram Peace Park, says that while this conservation project was being developed, a major timber concession was granted over the same forests, and the project was eventually cancelled. So how did a community-led conservation vision reach this point, and what happens to the forests and the people who depend on them now? We explore this with Lerroy Lemen, a Penan representative from Long Lamai in Baram and a member of the grassroots organisation Keruan, and Tanja Meier, a campaigner with the Bruno Manser Fonds, which is behind the report.

A plan to protect one of Sarawak’s remaining rainforest landscapes has instead ended with a major timber concession over the same forests, according to a new report about the Upper Baram. For years, Penan and other Indigenous communities in the region have pushed for their forests to be protected through what began as the Penan Peace Park and later became the Baram Peace Park. The idea eventually became a government-backed project with international support. But the report, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.savebaramforest.org/en/report/">Plundering the Baram Peace Park</a>, says that while this conservation project was being developed, a major timber concession was granted over the same forests, and the project was eventually cancelled. So how did a community-led conservation vision reach this point, and what happens to the forests and the people who depend on them now? We explore this with Lerroy Lemen, a Penan representative from Long Lamai in Baram and a member of the grassroots organisation <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Keruan-Voices-of-the-Penans-100075707032321/">Keruan</a>, and Tanja Meier, a campaigner with the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bmf.ch/en">Bruno Manser Fonds</a>, which is behind the report.

What Happened To The Baram Peace Park?

For August 2026's episode of Nature Reads, we speak to wildlife photographer, author, conservationist and Head of Outreach at Roots & Shoots Malaysia, Peter Ong. Together with co-host Surin Suksuwan, co-founder of Sunda Shelves, we explore the books and people that shaped Peter's interest in nature and conservation, including the influence of renowned primatologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, before diving into his own books: Wang Kelian, Perlis – The Forgotten Valley, Primus – The Primates of Peninsular Malaysia and his latest work, Nakawan – The Living Soul of Perlis. We also chat about the relationship between photography and writing, the role of storytelling in conservation, and how books can help us see Malaysia's natural world in new ways.

Nature Reads on Earth Matters is a monthly show where we explore the stories behind books that bring us closer to nature and the world around us, done in collaboration with independent bookstore Sunda Shelves.

For August 2026's episode of Nature Reads, we speak to wildlife photographer, author, conservationist and Head of Outreach at Roots &amp; Shoots Malaysia, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/peterthedragon">Peter Ong</a>. Together with co-host Surin Suksuwan, co-founder of Sunda Shelves, we explore the books and people that shaped Peter's interest in nature and conservation, including the influence of renowned primatologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, before diving into his own books: Wang Kelian, Perlis – The Forgotten Valley, Primus – The Primates of Peninsular Malaysia and his latest work, Nakawan – The Living Soul of Perlis. We also chat about the relationship between photography and writing, the role of storytelling in conservation, and how books can help us see Malaysia's natural world in new ways.Nature Reads on Earth Matters is a monthly show where we explore the stories behind books that bring us closer to nature and the world around us, done in collaboration with independent bookstore <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://linktr.ee/sundashelves">Sunda Shelves</a>.

Nature Reads: Bibliophile Peter Ong on Photography, Primates & Perlis

Across Southeast Asia, there's a familiar tension between economic development and environmental protection. Governments talk about growth, companies talk about investment, while communities often find themselves fighting to protect the forests, rivers and land they've depended on for generations. A new Human Rights Watch report, Grabbed Land, Silenced Justice, looks at what happens when those communities push back. Drawing on more than 50 cases from across Indonesia, it argues that Indigenous leaders and environmental defenders have increasingly found themselves facing criminal investigations and prosecutions after raising concerns about land rights and environmental harm. As Indonesia marks 81 years of independence on the 17th of August 2026, we explore the report, the people at the centre of it, and what lessons it holds for the wider region, with the report’s co-author, Andreas Harsono, who is also a Researcher with Human Rights Watch.



Image Credit: © 2024 Andreas Harsono/Human Rights Watch 

Across Southeast Asia, there's a familiar tension between economic development and environmental protection. Governments talk about growth, companies talk about investment, while communities often find themselves fighting to protect the forests, rivers and land they've depended on for generations. A new <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.hrw.org/">Human Rights Watch</a> report, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.hrw.org/report/2026/07/28/grabbed-land-silenced-justice/the-persecution-of-environmentalists-and-indigenous">Grabbed Land, Silenced Justice</a>, looks at what happens when those communities push back. Drawing on more than 50 cases from across Indonesia, it argues that Indigenous leaders and environmental defenders have increasingly found themselves facing criminal investigations and prosecutions after raising concerns about land rights and environmental harm. As Indonesia marks 81 years of independence on the 17th of August 2026, we explore the report, the people at the centre of it, and what lessons it holds for the wider region, with the report’s co-author, Andreas Harsono, who is also a Researcher with Human Rights Watch.Image Credit: © 2024 Andreas Harsono/Human Rights Watch

Why Is Malaysia Still Battling Haze?

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