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Gibbons are known for their beautiful calls and their ability to swing effortlessly through the forest canopy. But some of these animals are ending up in a very different environment: inside suitcases, being smuggled through international airports. A new analysis by TRAFFIC Southeast Asia has documented at least 86 gibbons intercepted in 33 international smuggling incidents over 32 months. Malaysia features prominently in the findings, with Kuala Lumpur International Airport linked to the highest number of incidents. So, what is happening to these animals, why are they being trafficked, and what can be done to stop this trade? Joining us to discuss the findings of their research, Canopy to Cabin: Southeast Asia's Gibbon Smuggling by Air, are Kanitha Krishnasamy, Director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, and Sandra Wong Jye Wen, Data and Research Officer at TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, both co-authors of the analysis.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're heading towards COP31, the annual United Nations climate conference where governments from around the world come together to negotiate and make decisions on how to tackle climate change and the climate crisis. This year's meeting takes place in Antalya, Türkiye, and there's plenty at stake, from climate finance and the transition away from fossil fuels to the support needed by countries already dealing with the effects of climate change. So, what should we be looking out for, particularly from the perspective of the Global South? To explore this and more, we speak to Meenakshi Raman, the President of Sahabat Alam Malaysia and the Deputy Executive Director of the Third World Network. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Congo might seem a long way from Malaysia, but the two are connected in ways we don't always think about. The minerals extracted from Congolese soil help power technologies used around the world, while here at home, communities are asking what happens when development puts pressure on their land, livelihoods and environment. These aren't just questions about where we get our resources from. They're also about who benefits from development, whose voices are heard, and what progress should look like in the first place. To explore these connections, we're joined by filmmaker, educator and ancestral ecologist Petna Ndaliko Katondolo, and director of Deep Cobalt, and also Maurice Carney, co-founder and Executive Director of Friends of the Congo. We'll look at what Congo can tell us about the choices we're making here in Malaysia, and the lessons we might find in Indigenous relationships with the natural world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do trees, butterflies, spiders and forgotten food traditions have in common? They’re all part of the books that have shaped Bilqis Hijjas’s relationship with the natural world. The Director of Rimbun Dahan and committee member of the Biji Alam Awards, Bilqis joins us and co-host Dylan Jefri Ong (co-founder, Sunda Shelves) to explore how books can help us discover the wildlife around us, preserve traditional knowledge and see familiar creatures and landscapes in a new light. From practical field guides to nature essays and children’s stories, we look at the many ways reading can bring us closer to the world around us. 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. Works discussed during this episode: Heritage Trees of Penang by Simon Gardner, Pindar Sidisunthorn and Lai Ee May A Naturalist's Guide to the Butterflies of Malaysia by Dr Lawrence G. Kirton Recalling Forgotten Tastes by Sharifah Nadhirah Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald Aranea: A Story About a Spider by Jenny Wagner and Ron Brooks Barbapapa's Ark by Annette Tison and Talus Taylor See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we talk about saving forests in Malaysia, the instinct is to think big: national parks, huge reserves, major conservation bodies. But Shariff Mohamad took a different approach, by purchasing three acres of land in Hulu Selangor, and simply letting it grow back. His camera traps have since recorded more than 20 mammal species on that small patch, including Malayan tapirs, leopard cats, and the yellow-throated marten. The land sits at the edge of Selangor State Park, and its wild fig and fruit trees have turned it into a magnet for wildlife passing through. On its own, three acres isn't much of a habitat for large animals - Shariff is the first to say so. Yet it's already proving how much life a tiny, unmanaged patch can hold. What made him choose conservation over development on his own land? How does he decide when to step in and when to simply leave nature alone? And what does his experiment suggest about the role ordinary landowners could play in protecting biodiversity? We speak to Shariff about these and more, and also how he documents his experiences through social media on Dusun Liar. Image Credit: Shariff Mohamad See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As temperatures rise and air-conditioning becomes an increasingly common part of daily life, staying cool can come at a cost. There’s the electricity bill to think about, of course, but there’s also the energy we consume and the carbon emissions associated with it. So, how can we stay comfortable without using more energy than we need to? And when it comes to buying an air-conditioner, how do we balance the upfront cost with the potential savings over time? These are some of the issues being addressed by Cool-Lah: Tambahlah Bintang, a public awareness campaign organised by environmental NGO EcoKnights, with support from the United Nations Environment Programme’s United for Efficiency initiative, Malaysia’s Energy Commission and the Malaysia Energy Literacy Program. We find out more from Nabila Shohimi, Sustainability Manager at EcoKnights, and Communication Consultant for the Cool-Lah Tambahlah Bintang campaign, appointed by UNEP's United for Efficiency initiative. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our forests are full of stories, but it takes a certain kind of storyteller to bring them to life. For independent filmmaker Myles Storey, that means looking beyond the animals themselves, to the landscapes they live in, the people who share those spaces, and the connections between them. Since we last spoke in 2023, Myles has been exploring some wonderfully different ways of telling nature stories. He’s followed endangered species, wild gibbons and even imagined what it might be like to see the world through the eyes of a sticky frog. He has also turned his camera towards the Nakawan Range in Perlis, and his latest documentary, NAKAWAN: The Living Soul of Perlis, explores the biodiversity, culture and communities of this remarkable landscape. We catch up with Myles about his life as a filmmaker, the stories he’s been telling, and what spending so much time in the natural world has taught him along the way.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s Budget 2027 includes funding for biodiversity conservation, community rangers and green initiatives, alongside measures to address issues such as flooding and water security. The government has also increased the allocation for the Ecological Fiscal Transfer, which provides funding to state governments to support conservation efforts. But WWF-Malaysia had called for a much bigger investment in nature ahead of the budget, including RM1 billion for the Ecological Fiscal Transfer, dedicated funding for nature-based solutions, and a commitment to spend at least 1% of the national budget on nature and biodiversity. So, how do the measures announced compare with what’s needed to protect Malaysia’s natural environment? Are we investing enough in conservation, and what more could be done to ensure nature is properly accounted for in the country’s development plans? To help us unpack this, we speak to Dr Jason Hon, Director of Conservation at WWF-Malaysia. Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Climate change is often described as a gradual process, but there are points where a system can change much more rapidly, and potentially in ways that are difficult or impossible to reverse. These are what scientists call tipping points. They can happen in the climate and natural world, but they can also affect food systems, economies and, ultimately, human health. While we often hear about the risks of crossing these thresholds, there is another side to the idea: positive tipping points, where changes in technology, policy or behaviour can gather momentum and accelerate. So what exactly is a tipping point, how close are we to some of them, and what can we actually do to influence the direction we're heading in? To explore these questions, we speak to Professor Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood, Executive Director of the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health at Sunway University, and Co-Chair of the Global Tipping Points Conference 2026. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Budget 2027 approaches, what should Malaysia be investing in to address pollution, climate impacts and the protection of our natural resources? Meenakshi Raman, President of Sahabat Alam Malaysia, discusses environmental funding and enforcement, the rapid growth of data centres and their demand for water and energy, and the need to make polluters more responsible for the damage they cause. We also look at the transboundary haze, corporate responsibility across borders, the protection of Malaysia’s forests, and how federal funding could encourage states to strengthen environmental protection. Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every year, hundreds of young Southern River Terrapins are returned to the Kemaman River, but releasing hatchlings is just one part of the work needed to bring an endangered species back. We catch up with Dr. Chen Pelf Nyok, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia, on what the latest research is telling us, the threats facing terrapins, the role of local communities, and what’s in store for this year’s Annual Terrapin Release. Image Credit: Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does a conservationist read when they’re not out in the field? Environmental researcher and conservationist Dr Teckwyn Lim shares some of the books that have shaped his thinking, from In Malay Forests and The Song of the Dodo, to Moby Dick, Incerto and more. Together with Surin Suksuwan, co-founder of Sunda Shelves, we explore how books about forests, history, science, literature and even uncertainty can change the way we see the natural world. 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. Works discussed during this episode: 1. Incerto by Nassim Nicholas Taleb 2. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward Tufte 3. In Malay Forests by George Maxwell 4. Nathaniel's Nutmeg by Giles Milton  5. The Song of the Dodo by David Quammen 6. Pagan Races of the Malay Peninsula by Walter William Skeat and Charles Otto Blagden 7. Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula by Isaac Henry Burkill 8. Foresters' Manual of Dipterocarps by Colin Fraser Symington 9. Moby Dick by Herman Melville 10. Thucydides's writings 11. The Further Side of Silence by Hugh Clifford See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Klang River is one of the defining waterways of Kuala Lumpur, but for many of us, it's something we pass by without really noticing. The Klang River Festival is trying to change that, by bringing people closer to the river, its history, its communities and the habitat along its banks. Now in its fifth year, the festival has grown beyond a weekend event into a year-round effort to build a stronger relationship between people and the river. This year's theme, “Act!vating Habitat”, puts the focus on the biodiversity of the riverbank, and on what it means to care for an urban river as a living environment. We speak to Faith Foo, Programme Coordinator, and Nurul Qistina, Community Architect, both with KongsiKL, which organises the Klang River Festival, about its origins, its environmental mission, and the role communities can play in reconnecting with the river and protecting its future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the second episode of this two-part From The Frontline special, we turn to the voices of young Orang Asli and what they want for the future of their communities. Diana a/p Tan Beng Hui, Eliana a/p Tan Beng Hui, and Rosdila Ngah Roslan, all Programme Coordinators from Apa Kata Wanita Orang Asli reflect on July’s Indigenous Youth Camp and Regional Panel, before we look at the proposed amendments to the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954, the debate around customary land rights, and what meaningful recognition and consultation could look like. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the first of this two-part “From The Frontline” special, we hear from three Orang Asli women about the land disputes affecting communities across Peninsular Malaysia. Diana a/p Tan Beng Hui, Eliana a/p Tan Beng Hui, and Rosdila Ngah Roslan, all Programme Coordinators with the collective Apa Kata Wanita Orang Asli, share their perspectives on what losing access to land can mean for everyday life, livelihoods, culture and community, and why Orang Asli women are often at the forefront of these struggles. From The Frontline is an ongoing series within Earth Matters, where we hear directly from communities whose lives and livelihoods are being shaped by decisions about the land around them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.