Earth Matters

About Earth Matters

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.

Publisher

BFM Media

Category

science · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Feb 2009

Latest episode

5 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

1 of 989 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   5 Oct 2026

   Putting the Environment Into Budget 2027

   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 (https://foe-malaysia.org/), 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 (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

2. 

   30 Sept 2026

   What Does It Take to Save Malaysia's Endangered Terrapins?

   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 (https://www.turtleconservationsociety.org.my/), 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 (https://www.instagram.com/p/DdvEJ0UCcWi/?img_index=1). Image Credit: Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

3. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Nature Reads: A Peek Into a Conservationist’s Bookshelf

   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 (https://linktr.ee/sundashelves). 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 (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Inside a recent episode

Artivism for Conservation

Published 23 Jun 2025 · Transcript excerpt

[…] I was expecting them to say because of regulations, because of governments, or because of the Paris Agreement, but to my surprise. A lot of them told me that it was haze that made them realize that they are breathing in what they invest and I thought, gosh, it takes a physical, emotional, visual experience for them to, for people to realize that, you know, our action has an impact on the environment. And that opened up an entire door of research related to public perceptions of environmental change. And I think, you know, our work on environmental art activism is the latest iteration, if you will, of trying to capture public communication, sentiment, and emotions towards the changes that are happening before our eyes. […]

Who has been a guest on Earth Matters

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Meenakshi Raman
• Dr Wan Faridah Akmal Jusoh
• Dr Nadiah Ahmad
• Tan Boon Hua
• Perpetua George

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

21,618,281

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 83 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

95

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

85

Contact Earth Matters

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Earth Matters