Explore every episode of the podcast Climate Connections

Algae are microscopic organisms that live in aquatic habitats and they use photosynthesis to produce energy from sunlight, just like plants. So far, there are over 50,000 species of living algae documented currently. And one thing that people sometimes forget is that algae are the base of many food webs and are an integral part of a healthy aquatic ecosystem.

But, algae can also grow out of control if the water around them contains too many nutrients, resulting in harmful algal blooms. And did you know that toxins from these harmful algal blooms could get kicked up into the air as airborne algae? 

With the focus on climate change growing, scientists are continuing to document the effects of climate change on algae, and how airborne algae in turn interact with our environment.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Mickey Rogers, Pauling Fellow and Chemist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, who is researching airborne algae and its impact on atmospheric processing, shares her insights. She's currently also developing new methods of aerosol generation and online gas flux monitoring of biological cells including acoustic levitation of small particles.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Audrey Siek
Photo credits: Mickey Rogers / Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Industrial waste makes up at least 50% of waste generated globally. And much of that waste is the result of poor quality products from manufacturing processes, as well as the sheer complexity of manufacturing and supply chain management. 

As consumer awareness about the environmental impacts of waste increases, recycling is expected to grow considerably in the coming years. By 2032, the global waste recycling services market is forecast to have surpassed a value of US$90 billion, registering a compound annual growth rate of 4.7 percent during the forecast period 2023 to 2032.

But cost is often an issue. So, what can be done to scale up recycling within industries?

On this episode of Climate Connections, Susie Burrage, President, Bureau of International Recycling, who will be actively involved in the World Recycling Convention, held in Singapore from 28th to 29th October, shares her perspectives of being a fourth-generation recycler.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Audrey Siek
Photo & music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Like other sea turtles, hawksbill turtles are critically endangered due to the loss of nesting and feeding habitats, excessive egg collection, fishery-related mortality, pollution and coastal development.

Currently, hawksbill turtles are protected by international agreements like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Convention on Migratory Species. This level of international cooperation is essential to the conservation of hawksbills given their wide geographic range.

In Singapore, a small few hawksbill turtles return to the shores during the nesting season between May and October every year. After hatching, these turtles essentially run as quickly as they can to the ocean before a predator can eat them, and then, they are “lost”. Lost, that is, as most would not see them again until they return as juveniles and subadults to their birth shores several years later. That gap of time is called the lost years and has proven to be a challenging life stage to study.

On this episode of Climate Connections, hawksbill turtles researchers Assistant Professor Kim Hie Lim from NTU’s Asian School of the Environment and Regine Tiong, PhD student at NTU share more about their DNA study that’s set to uncover some of the secrets behind lineages of hawksbill turtles that visit Singapore's shores and where they go to nest and forage after hatching.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar
Photo credits: Asian Geographic / NTU
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors & Smithsonian Channel YouTube

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A new environmental movement is gathering pace: “Nature Positive”.

The concept of "Nature Positive" envisages a planet where the current rapid loss of biodiversity is halted and reversed, and nature is restored. Since the term was coined in 2020 amid negotiations for the Global Biodiversity Framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity, world leaders, businesses and civil society have rallied behind the ambition.

With calls for action growing stronger, there’s an increasing recognition that reversing biodiversity is critical for combating the global climate crisis, preventing future pandemics of zoonotic origin, addressing water and food insecurity, as well as supporting sustainable and equitable development. In December 2022, the goal of halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 was codified in the mission of the landmark Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Its adoption under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity has been described as the ‘Paris moment’ for nature. 

However, experts warn that vigilance is needed to prevent the concept of a Nature Positive world being threatened by greenwashing, with some pledges lacking the rigorous scientific framework needed to achieve real impacts.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Professor Lawrence Loh, Director of the Centre for Governance and Sustainability at NUS Business School shares his insights on nature positivity and what companies should consider in order to avoid falling into the greenwashing trap.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar
Photo credits: Nature Positive Initiative
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

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Can Singapore meet its “30 by 30” food sustainability goal?

With the passing of the five-year mark since that goal was set - this question has been cast into the spotlight, following a series of delays, failures or re-configurations of high-tech farms of late.

It hasn’t been easy for local producers, with indoor vegetable farm I.F.F.I shutting down, and VertiVegies abandoning plans to build a mega vertical vegetable farm - both of which had been awarded funding under the government’s 30 by 30 express grant. Other agri-food casualties include aquaculture, with the Barramundi Group ceasing sea bass farming, and novel protein, in particular with the cultivated meat industry seemingly in limbo.

Despite those shake-ups, farmers and relevant stakeholders are still hard at work in pushing the little red dot towards its goal of producing 30% of its nutritional needs locally by 2030.

On this episode of Climate Connections, we explore the issue with a range of stakeholders, including: 

- Ma Chin Chew, CEO of N&N Agriculture, a local egg farm that has successfully tapped on technology to scale up its productions, and improve its yield and sustainability. 

- Ken Cheong, CEO of Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation (SAFEF), who dives into consumer demand trends, and how SAFEF is working hand-in-hand with local farmers to get their produce on the shelves and stay competitive.

- Andy Chang, Director, Fresh and Frozen, FairPrice Group, who sheds light on what drives consumer choices in today's context, and what local farmers need in order to stay ahead of the game from a retail perspective.

Special thanks to the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Audrey Siek
Photo credits: SFA website
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

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Back in historical times, volcanoes played a crucial role in the evolution of the planet and early life, and are constantly reshaping the morphology of Planet Earth. 

Today, about 500 active volcanoes presently exist on the Earth’s surface, with some 50 erupting each year, and more than 800 million people living within 100 kilometres (60 miles) of an active volcano. As populations continue to grow around volcanoes, these impact events will likely continue to affect communities. 

With modern society heading into uncharted territory as the world grapples with unprecedented climate change effects, many concepts adopted by policymakers and scientists to deal with volcano-related hazards will quickly become outdated, and hence making ongoing research so crucial. 

While extensive research has been done on explosive eruptions, there has been limited studies on how lava flows are impacting communities. These streams of molten rock are one of the most common volcanic hazards and can be disastrous for communities. 

On this episode of Climate Connections, Dr Elinor Meredith, Research Fellow in Volcanic Risk, University of Twente and Susanna Jenkins, Associate Professor, Earth Observatory of Singapore, NTU share insights from their extensive study on the frequency and severity of these lava flow impact events, and whether they are an increasing threat to communities. 

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Audrey Siek
Assistant Producer: Simone Chuah
Photo credits: Iceland Review
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

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“It's about sowing the right seeds. Seeds which will sprout, which will take root. And so how do we do that? We can't have change overnight, but we need to create a pipeline of the next generation of inventors, thinkers. Though we’re a little dot in this globe, we have that opportunity to nurture them. Many times, I go back to Lee Kuan Yew. He dreamt big. We’ve enjoyed the bounty, how do we take it forward?”

Inspired by Singapore’s Founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s love for nature, environmentalist Kirtida Mekani mooted the country’s Plant-A-Tree programme back in the day. It’s an initiative where organisations and individuals can, for a donation of $300, plant a tree in the green spaces managed by the National Parks Board, or NParks.

Fast forward to today, she’s an ardent advocate of biomimicry adoption. With the urgency to tackle climate change growing, she strongly believes that biomimicry is the path forward for science and engineering 

On this episode of Climate Connections, Kirtida Mekani, Environmentalist & 2024 Inductee, Singapore Women's Hall of Fame shares insights from her decades-long commitment to environmental causes, and the eureka moment that got her on this green journey.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Audrey Siek
Photo credits: NParks
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

Find out more on how to take part in the Plant-A-Tree Programme below: https://www.gardencityfund.gov.sg/our-programmes/plant-a-tree/howtotakepart/

You can also join the OneMillionTrees movement here: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/treessg/one-million-trees-movement/upcoming-activities

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Imagine experiencing climate change effects first-hand right under the hole in the ozone layer. 

That's something that most people would not be able to fathom, but celebrated British polar explorer Robert Swan, the first person to have walked to both the North and South Poles unassisted, experienced just that.  

On his very first expedition to the South Pole in the 1980s, the prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light during parts of the trip which were directly under that ozone layer hole - permanently altered his eye colour from dark blue to light blue. Some years on, his team nearly drowned at the North Pole due to the premature melting of glaciers in the Arctic. Robert later founded the 2041 Foundation, an initiative dedicated to the preservation of Antarctica.

Fast forward decades later, Robert's son, Barney Swan is following in his father's footsteps. In 2017, Barney became the first person to walk the South Pole powered only by renewable energy.

Today, Barney himself is on a mission to combat climate change through his non-profit, ClimateForce, with a seven-year mission to reduce 360 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions before 2025.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Barney Swan, CEO of ClimateForce shares his personal insights walking on this green journey with his father.

Robert Swan was a speaker at Ecosperity Week 2024, aimed at being a metaphoric springboard to accelerate climate and nature-positive action, seeking to deepen the collective ownership and commitment needed across all stakeholders, with a focus on radical yet regenerative solutions, to restore the one planet we call home.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar
Photo credits: Barney & Robert Swan
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

Special thanks to Temasek for making this possible.

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India is currently thought to have around 29,000 wild elephants, especially in the biodiverse Western Ghats region, including Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It’s also the country home to more than half of the global population.

Although poaching, trafficking and trading of elephants and ivory in India is prohibited according to 1972’s Wildlife Protection Act, poaching has remained a constant threat. 

Today, around 20-25 elephants are lost to poaching each year. 

On this episode of Climate Connections, Emmy-award winning Canadian filmmaker Richie Mehta, who’s the director of Poacher - shares more about his dramatisation of the largest ever elephant poaching case in India. 

The eight-episode series was based on the real-life events of Operation Shikar, a sprawling investigation that took place between 2015 and 2017 into elephant poaching in the southern state of Kerala, which led to 72 arrests across India, including elephant poachers, government officials, carvers and high-end ivory art dealers.

Also on this episode, Rohit Singh, Director of Wildlife Enforcement and Zero Poaching, WWF-Singapore , who has first-hand experience coordinating law enforcement activities in India, weighs in on the challenges behind wildlife crime law enforcement. 

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Audrey Siek
Photo credits: WWF-Singapore / Richie MehtaDrama sound effect credits: Richie Mehta / Amazon Prime
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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The world is in an era of dire warnings from many scientists and increasing natural disasters, record-breaking temperatures and rising tides. Time is running out to solve the climate crisis, and catastrophe looms.

By now, you're probably used to seeing such headlines. But how can that doom-induced uncertainty be spiralled into meaningful change? 

On this episode of Climate Connections, Hannah Jones, CEO, The Earthshot Prize shares her insights on why these messages must be used wisely and how a spark of optimism goes a long way in this fight against climate change. As they continue to support the scale-up of innovations with a potential to repair our planet, she also delves into what she and The Earthshot Prize has been up to as they prepare to hold this year's award ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Audrey Siek
Photo credits: The Earthshot Prize
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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One insect species you probably never knew you needed - dung beetles! 

Dung beetles are found worldwide, on every continent except Antarctica. They live in habitats ranging from desert to forest and are classified into three basic groups: rollers, tunnelers, and dwellers. Those words describe how these beetles use the dung they find.

They may seem like unlikely environmental heroes, but these little creatures might just be a weapon in the battle against global warming and other biodiversity issues.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Eleanor Slade, Associate Professor, Asian School of the Environment, NTU, and Zann Teo, PHD Student from NTU, who is currently putting together a species checklist for dung beetles in Singapore, which are understudied to date, especially in the tropics - explain why dung beetles are so important to our wider ecosystem and what they are doing to chart a better future for these beetles.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Audrey Siek
Photo credits: Marx Yim, Tropical Ecology and Entomology Lab / NTU
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors, Kamaboko Sachiko, Noru 

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Lions are the apex predators of the African savanna, or what ecologists call - a keystone species.

They play the critical role of managing large herbivore populations of impalas, zebras, buffalos, and even elephants and giraffes. In a balanced ecosystem, the number of herbivores needs to be kept in check because if you have too many herbivores, vegetation will be overgrazed and habitats will inevitably degrade.

As an umbrella species, lions also help maintain a healthy and resilient herbivore population and regulate disease transmissions because they typically hunt and kill those that may be afflicted with parasites, disease or are feeble from a hereditary defect.

Without lions, disease spread is more likely across species, and vast savanna grassland ecosystems would disintegrate into dysfunctional, barren landscapes impacting all other species, including humans. 

However, African lion populations are declining - due in large part to habitat loss due to development and human-wildlife conflict. With humans now living closer to predators like lions, having mitigation measures to reduce that conflict is growing in importance as these predators also pose a threat to the local communities and their livestock.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Dr Jess Isden, Coexistence Coordinator, WildCRU - who is working very closely with the local communities through the Trans-Kalahari Predator Programme - shares her insights on how effective human-lion conflict mitigation strategies in Botswana, Africa, can contribute to sustainable development.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Audrey Siek
Photo credits: Yeo Kai Ting
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors, Hayashi Yu, Makooto 

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Nature films tell the stories of the world's flora, fauna, and landscapes - often a journey into the secret lives of what exists around us. These stunning visual tales show us how we are interconnected with nature in many ways. This, in turn, allows us to better understand the current conversations about climate change, sustainability and biodiversity, and put us in a better position to be agents of hope and change.

That’s exactly what the inaugural ‘Earth in Focus’ Singapore Nature Film Festival 2024 hopes to achieve. Running from 1st to 3rd November this year, the festival will showcase local and international films, photography and ecological art exhibitions, as well as workshops run by conservation NGOs - covering a wide range of conservation topics, from ocean and land conservation to water scarcity and technology for conservation.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Daphne Ong, Conservationist & Festival Director of Earth In Focus, and Andy Ridley, CEO of Citizens of the Reef & Co-founder, Earth Hour share their insights ahead of the festival.

Find out more about Earth In Focus and register for film screenings and workshops here: https://www.earthinfocus.co/festival-happenings

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Audrey Siek
Photo credits: Earth In Focus
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Farmers in India are contending with the impact of climate change every day as their crops are often subject to weather conditions, which are evolving as climate change becomes more deeply entrenched.

Every year, about 30% of agricultural produce is wasted before it leaves the farms. And did you know this food waste contributes to greenhouse gases?

On this episode of Climate Connections, Nidhi Pant, Co-Founder of S4S Technologies, who has seen how deeply intertwined challenges of food waste, rural poverty and gender inequality are, shares the journey she embarked on together with five other university friends, to help smallholder female farmers preserve and market surplus produce.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Photo credits: The Earthshot Prize

Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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At the COP28 Summit, for the first time since nations began meeting some three decades ago, nearly 200 countries convened by the United Nations approved a milestone plan to ramp up renewable energy and transition away from coal, oil and gas.

With all eyes on the new deal - that is not legally binding and can’t, on its own, force any country to act - “transition finance” is shaping up to be one of this year’s most important topics in the climate space but how just is this transition? 

On this episode of Climate Connections, Sharan Burrow, Former General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation and Global Board of Director, World Resources Institute shares her insights on why a just transition is so important and why people must be at the center of this green transition.

Sharan recently spoke at the 2024 Ecosperity Week spearheaded by Temasek.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Photo credits: The Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action

Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Did you know that in just Singapore alone, an average person can eat nearly 390 eggs in a year?

Every stage of egg production contributes to greenhouse gases and other harmful emissions. Scientists from the University of Oviedo in Spain found that the carbon footprint of eggs is similar to that of other basic foods of animal origin, like milk.

So, is there a way to be more environmentally friendly with our eggs?

On this episode of Climate Connections, Vinita Choolani, Founder and CEO of Float Foods lets us in on why she embarked on that journey to create a plant-based egg that can hopefully substitute our love affair with chicken eggs, and where the business is at right now. 

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Audrey Siek

Photo credits: Float Foods

Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Climate change is caused by the rise in anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Such gases include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, which are long-lived compounds that can remain in the atmosphere for several years.

But you might be wondering if climate change in turn impacts the quality of the air we breathe. 

On this episode of Climate Connections, NTU Professor Stephan Schuster, Research Director of the Meta-o’mics & Microbiomes cluster at the Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering reviews the connection between air pollution and climate change, as well as the tell-tale signs that scientists look out for when measuring air quality.

Professor Schuster also reveals some potential solutions that actually already exist in Singapore!

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Photo credits: NTU

Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Calling out to plant parents, as well as those thinking of getting succulents to spruce up your homes! 

Increasingly, many popular ornamental plants are plucked from their natural habitats instead of being grown in nurseries. The consequences of this go beyond our living rooms, impacting entire landscapes and the livelihoods of communities that depend on them.

The highest number of native succulent species - drought resistant plants which are slow growing, long lived, and occur in arid areas - are found in Africa. It might not occur to you that your plant purchase is fueling plant poaching - but since 2019, more than 600,000 illegally harvested succulents, representing 450 different species have been seized by authorities as they transit Southern Africa to overseas markets. 

On this episode of Climate Connections, Dominique Prinsloo, Project Manager from TRAFFIC - who’s done quite a bit of research into the succulent plant poaching crisis - explains what's driving the trade and how you can differentiate between a wild harvested succulent versus a nursery-grown one.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Audrey Siek

Photo credits: TRAFFIC

Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Have you been to Phillip Island Nature Parks in Australia? 

It’s home to the largest little penguin population - better known as fairy penguins - globally. They’re the smallest penguin species in the world. 

But today’s focus is on another seabird - short-tailed shearwaters that use Phillip Island as their breeding grounds! From this week, four-month old fledglings are starting their migration and the Phillip Island Nature Parks is calling for individuals and businesses on the island to switch off their lights at night.

Short-tailed shearwaters are mid-sized migratory birds that travel from the Southern to Northern Hemisphere each year, migrating from Australia towards Japan, then across to the Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea to the north of Alaska. They manage this massive 16,000km journey in under four weeks, all before returning to the shores of Phillip Island (Millowl).

Among the most vulnerable are seabirds, with shearwaters facing the greatest risk. In a series of studies by Phillip Island Nature Parks exploring the negative effect of artificial lights on shearwaters, light pollution is now at the forefront of negative factors disrupting the delicate balance of ecosystems. 

On this episode of Climate Connections, Dr Duncan Sutherland, Senior Scientist, Phillip Island Nature Parks why the night lights are so detrimental to the short-tailed shearwaters during migration season, conservation efforts under the "Dark Sky So Shearwaters Fly" campaign and how you can do your part.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Audrey Siek

Photo/Sound credits: Phillip Island Nature Parks

Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Quite unsurprisingly, demand for batteries is expected to increase 30% each year until 2030.

A greater need for batteries to power more electric vehicles means increased demand for metals like lithium, a finite resource whose extraction has raised ecological and human rights issues. 

Lithium mining takes a heavy toll - trees are often cut down to make room for mines, chemicals used in the process can poison waterways, and meanwhile, millions of tonnes of batteries are expected to be decommissioned over the coming decades, creating hazardous waste.

But have you ever thought about how sustainable your batteries are? 

On this episode of Climate Connections, Justin Hung, CEO & Co-Founder of GRST (which stands for Green, Renewable, Sustainable Technology) and 2023 Earthshot Prize winner shares about the cleaner process he developed to make batteries that pollutes less and uses components that can be more easily recycled.

The eco-friendly lithium batteries technology start-up aims to raise US$50 million over the next two years.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Photo credits: Earthshot Prize

Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Rice is a key staple in many diets around the world. But did you know that rice production accounts for over 10% of global methane emissions? These emissions in turn contribute to climate change.

Bali is an Indonesian island known for its stunning landscapes, famous for its terraced rice fields that cascade down hillsides, creating a picturesque environment. But beyond aesthetics, the Bali rice fields and the Subak system are closely intertwined and they represent the lifeblood of Bali's cultural and agricultural heritage. 

The Subak system, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, refers to the traditional irrigation system developed by Balinese farmers to manage water distribution and cultivation in flooded rice fields. It is a cooperative and democratic system that emphasises harmony between nature and the community.

On this episode of Climate Connections - Sharadha Sathiakumar, Research Fellow, Earth Observatory of Singapore shares more about her project exploring potential solutions to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in the rice fields of Bali located in Indonesia, the fourth-largest producer of rice worldwide.

She found that the Intermittent Wetting and Drying technique allowing local farmers to improvise based on their experience could very well be the solution to reducing the greenhouse gases emitted by the rice you eat! The results of this experiment were very promising: both methane and nitrous oxide emissions reduced, and rice yield increased.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Photo credits: Sharadha Sathiakumar, Joanne Petrina, Earth Observatory of Singapore

Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Ice-cold, juicy oysters definitely sound like a good idea, as we search for ways to beat the heat in recent weeks! But have you ever wondered what happens to the oyster shells afterwards?

On this episode of Climate Connections, we feature two local ecologists - Yukie Yokoyama and Erika Ng from Witteveen+Bos - who are giving discarded oyster shells a new lease of life in Singapore by creating the country's first artificial oyster reef at the jetty near Changi Sailing Club.

Find out more about their journey to find ways to help Singapore fight pollution, improve marine biodiversity, and protect against coastal erosion - through the help of oyster reefs.

And as they say - "The world is your oyster!"

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Audrey Siek

Photo credits: Yukie Yokoyama & Erika Ng

Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Plastic consumption has increased exponentially in recent years.

When plastics enter the ocean, microorganisms attach to and colonise them, forming an ecological community known as the ‘Plastisphere’.

But we don’t really know much about these colonies. What we know, is that plastics can be silent killers of marine life.

Plastics also carry other chemical compounds called additives in addition to the polymer resin, and these materials can actually leach into the environment. 

To understand the plastic-microbes interaction, NTU researchers extracted DNA information of plastispheres gathered from 14 coastal locations in Singapore, and they found both potential plastic-eating bacteria and harmful microbes thriving on the samples.

On this episode of Climate Connections, we feature: 

- Jonas Koh (NTU doctoral student, Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering)

- Professor Shane Allen Snyder (Executive Director, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute)

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Audrey Siek

Photo credits: NTU

Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Nature is our life support system, but right now, it’s in trouble. WWF’s latest Living Planet Report reveals that the average size of wildlife populations have declined by a staggering 73% since 1970, providing a stark warning “that the world is fast approaching dangerous tipping points”. 

Habitat loss and degradation, driven primarily by our food system is the most reported threat to wildlife populations, followed by overexploitation, invasive species and disease. 

With Australia’s role as a regional food supplier growing in importance as global food demand surges, an Australian farmer-owned mutual - Regen Farmers Mutual - is working hard at giving landowners greater access to the growing environmental goods and services markets as the world transitions to net zero.

More than 80 farmers, conservationists and landcarers behind Regen Farmers Mutual have designed a new brokerage model to reduce transaction costs and enable farmers to aggregate their market power to sell environmental services. They are raising $51 million from mining and energy players to fund a series of regenerative farming projects. The mutual has agreed to $100 per unit for the first 1,000 of 18,500 available carbon credits across 750 hectares of land.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Rohan Clarke, Co-director, Regen Farmers Mutual shares how they’re tapping on carbon markets and regenerative farming to preserve their lands.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar
Photo credits: Regen Farmers Mutual
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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The Andes stands out for its striking species richness and endemicity that characterise many emblematic Neotropical clades distributed in or around these mountains. It's also a vital region, with its highland forests providing water for millions of people downstream. 

However, this rich ecosystem is increasingly threatened by rapid development, mining and climate change.

With the glaciers melting and forests disappearing, 2023 Earthshot Prize winners Florent Kaiser, CEO of Global Forest Generation and Constantino Aucca Chutas, President & Co-founder of Acción Andina are working hard to restore the degraded ecosystems of the Andes and secure the water supply for local communities. 

On this episode of Climate Connections, we go on a journey to find out how they are reviving ancient indigenous practices and galvanising the help of multi-generations of locals and partners to conserve the Andes and beyond.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Photo credits: Acción Andina, Earthshot Prize 

Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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In the heart of Sumatra lies the Leuser Ecosystem - the last place on Earth where several of the key Sundaland mega-fauna species can still be found together: the tiger, orangutan, elephant, and rhino. But all that are under extreme threat due to unsustainable development. 

In the spirit of International Women’s Day, on this episode of Climate Connections - we feature the Chairperson & Co-Founder of Forest Nature and Environment Aceh, Farwiza Farhan, a fearless female voice who has succeeded in advocating for law enforcement against companies operating illegally and launched a citizen lawsuit that empowers local communities to have meaningful involvement in policy making.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Photo credits: HAkA, Joel Sartore, Paul Hilton, Ruben Hoekstra, Junaidi Hanafiah, Citra Drone, leuserconservationforum IG

Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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What does sustainability mean to you? Challenges surrounding going green often involve an intricate web of complex problems that are interlinked.

On this episode of Climate Connections, 11-year-old Aurvi Jain, Eco Warrior & TEDxSingapore Speaker explains why every single little action counts more than age. She also lets us in on a little secret project that she worked on together with renowned filmmaker Damon Gameau, that will be released later this year.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Audrey Siek

Photo credits: Aurvi Jain & regenerators (Instagram)

Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Life in oceans has evolved for three times as long as life on land, and it holds clues to four billion years of our evolutionary heritage.

But although an estimated 2 million species inhabit our oceans, up to 90% remain undescribed. This longstanding void in the knowledge and observation of marine biodiversity is a growing worry, with potential unrecorded extinctions and declines aggravating the prevailing biodiversity crisis. 

On this episode of Climate Connections, Oliver Steeds, Chief Executive of Nekton Foundation and Director of Ocean Census shares more about Ocean Census' initiative by scientists who have set themselves an ambitious goal of discovering 100,000 new species in a decade, before overfishing and global warming drive entire populations to extinction.

Take an exclusive look at some of these new species & the expedition on Instagram page @climateconnectionsbykt (Video courtesy of Ocean Census)

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Audrey Siek

Photo credits: Ocean Census

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We’re just hours away from ringing in the Chinese New Year, and also the Year of the Dragon.

It’s also typically a time when many might consider getting a pet that coincides with the zodiac for the year for good luck - bearded dragons in this case, even though they might be prohibited, depending on where you live. Chinese families will also be feasting on a range of delicacies like abalone and sea cucumbers. 

But before you do any of that, think again - because you might be fuelling illegal wildlife smuggling, or organised criminal and drug syndicates! 

On this episode of Climate Connections, Serene Chng, Senior Programme Officer at TRAFFIC International - Southeast Asia weighs in on why trafficking poses a severe threat to many endangered species, and challenges involved in trying to nip this issue in the bud.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Photo credits: TRAFFIC

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors, Astrine Leoung

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Today marks World Wetlands Day. 

The swamp forests, reedbeds and flooded grasslands of the Lower Mekong basin form one of the most biologically important regions on the planet. But these ecosystems are vanishing at an alarming pace, along with riverbank collapse, which has led to coastal communities losing their homes.

Researchers believe that this is because the Vietnam Mekong Delta is currently being robbed of its very foundations - sand. 

On this episode of Climate Connections, Rachel Lau, Research Assistant, National Institute of Education, Earth Observatory of Singapore, NTU and Assistant Professor Edward Park, National Institute of Education & Principal Investigator, Earth Observatory of Singapore, NTU weigh in on why the Mekong Delta is drowning in 'sand debt'.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Photo credit: NTU

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

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Soil is often an overlooked aspect of nature. Now, if you dig deeper, you’d realise that healthy soils serve not just as the backbone of safe and sustainable agriculture, but also helps with carbon sequestration. 

In many parts of the world however, poor management and climate change have led to soil degradation and a huge amount of carbon released by the top layer soil over the past 12,000 years.

On today’s Climate Connections, Aadith Moorthy, CEO & Founder of Boomitra, and 2023 Earthshot Prize Winner shares how his company is working with farmers to reverse that through technology & soil credits. 

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Audrey Siek

Photo credit: Boomitra Carbon Farming in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (Credit: Boomitra)

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

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Through half a million years of isolation, primates of the Mentawai Islands evolved into five distinct species, totally different from their relatives on the nearest mainland, Sumatra. These endemic species include the pig-tailed snub-nosed langur, Mentawai gibbon, Mentawai langur, Pagai macaque, and Siberut macaque. Except for the last, the other four species are Critically Endangered or Endangered, as red-listed by the IUCN.

And with the threat from logging and clearing for oil palm and timber plantations growing, the survival of the forests of Mentawai and these primates is dimming. 

On this episode of Climate Connections, Andie Ang, Head, Primate Conservation & Singapore Programmes, Mandai Nature and Professor Rizaldi, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Andalas University share more details on their research into these endangered primates, and how they are developing a conservation plan to save them. 

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Photo: Adult male Presbytis potenziani (Golden-bellied Mentawai Island Langur or simply 'Mentawai Langur') encountered one morning in degraded primary forest on South Pagai island in 2023.  (Credit: Dr Andie Ang)

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Difference in standards across countries and regions can sometimes make sustainability reporting tricky. So how can such differences be better reconciled? 

Simon Schillebeeckx, Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Handprint and Ramki Ramakrishnan, Managing Director, Temenos APAC share about the challenges involved in collecting, streamlining and ensuring quality of ESG data, and how knowing how to identify impact projects can help companies with their ESG initiatives. 

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Audrey Siek

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

Photo credit: Handprint

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Changes in climate and the effects resulting from climate change control how plants grow, how animals behave, which organisms thrive, and how they interact with the physical environment, especially within forests.

Through the fossils that ancient forests left behind, scientists who have tracked their movements over decades say that heat stress is one of key factors pushing forests to migrate. But with global warming rising at an unprecedented rate, can forests move fast enough to escape climate change? 

On this episode of Climate Connections, Shawn Lum, Senior Lecturer, Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University shares his insights on the resilience levels of plant species in forests and how tropical forests are holding up compared with their counterparts.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

Photos: Yeo Kai Ting

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About 180,000 chimpanzees, gorillas and bonobos could be directly or indirectly threatened by current and future mining projects for these transition metals, particularly in West Africa.

With the world focusing its attention on clean energy transition, a boom in African mining activity is expected as critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel and cobalt are needed for clean energy technologies such as wind turbines and electric cars. This surge in demand is driving destruction of tropical rainforests which are critical habitats for Africa’s great apes.

In a recent study, researcher Jessica Junker and a team of scientists found that the overlap between mining exploration and preparation areas and important ape habitats was particularly high in West Africa, especially Guinea.

On this episode of Climate Connections, lead author of the study, Jessica Junker, Researcher, Re:wild shares her insights on the delicate balance. 

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar
Photo credits: Re:wild
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Did you know that cows burp and fart just like humans? 

Each time a cow burps or passes out gas, a little puff of methane wafts into the atmosphere. In fact, a single cow can produce 70 to 120 kg of methane a year. 

On this episode of Climate Connections, we shine a spotlight on 2023 Earthshot Prize Finalist Sam Elsom, Co-Founder and CEO of Sea Forest - a climate startup that has come up with a way to utilise red seaweed to reduce methane emissions from cows and other livestock.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Audrey Siek

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

Photo credits: The Earthshot Prize

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Hotels or lodging are an essential part of travel, which is seeing a rise once again as the pandemic retreats into the shadows. As you wind down this year-end, perhaps take some time to think about how much carbon footprint you contribute when it comes to where you stay on your travels.  

With the voice on climate change growing louder, some hotels have joined the bandwagon to do their part for the environment. In this episode of Climate Connections, Elaine Chan, Director of Marketing Communications & Sustainability at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay Singapore shares more.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Ryan Huang & Audrey Siek

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

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A little climate threat lurks in the form of a substance with a sight and smell that we are hardwired to be disgusted with - sewage.

Little is known about the real extent of industrial discharge that ends up in our wastewater systems, but researchers have found that untreated sewage discharge brings more harm to the environment and living communities than surrounding land use. But, wastewater management isn’t always affordable or accessible. And to top things off, it consumes more energy than you think. 

In this episode of Climate Connections, find out how 2023 Earthshot Prize Finalist, Orianna Bretschger, Co-Founder & CEO of Aquacycl is reinventing the entire wastewater treatment process to make it simpler and friendlier to the planet.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

Photo credits: The Earthshot Prize

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Air is the basic life support for all living beings on Earth, including humans.

But clean air isn't always a given for those living in Poland and India - countries plagued by air pollution caused by various forms of burning - to keep warm during cold winters and to get rid of agricultural waste respectively. 

In this episode of Climate Connections, we feature the inside story with:

• Vidyut Mohan, Co-Founder and CEO, Takachar & 2021 Earthshot Prize Winner - who developed a cheap and portable technology that converts crop residues into sellable bio-products like fuel and fertilisers. 
• Anna Dworakowska, Co-founder & Director, Polish Smog Alert & 2023 Earthshot Prize Finalist - who is fighting for coal bans across Poland and a shift away from traditional smokers.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

Photo credits: The Earthshot Prize

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COP28 kicks off in Dubai today (30 Nov 2023). 

This year, it will be the first time that humanity formally assesses its progress under the 2015 Paris climate agreement of keeping global warming below 1.5˚C.

But have you wondered what goes behind the closed doors of climate negotiations and what churns in the minds of leading negotiators?

In this episode of Climate Connections, we feature:

• Andrew Mercer, Deputy Minister for Energy, Republic of Ghana
• H.E. Mattias Frumerie, Chief Climate Negotiator, Kingdom of Sweden
• Dr Ajay Mathur, Director General, International Solar Alliance

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Time and tide wait for no man! This saying applies aptly to our natural ecosystems as well. Ahead of COP28, scientists are warning that our coastal habitats could disappear in the next 30 years, if global warming and rising sea levels are not curbed within limits set out by the Paris Agreement.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Professor Benjamin Horton, Director, Earth Observatory of Singapore, NTU explains how his team is digging deep beneath the oceans to find out how fossilised mangroves right under us can help guide our conservation strategies moving forward. 

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Audrey Siek

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

Photo credit: Yeo Kai Ting

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Colour is what makes your clothes pop. But, those dyes that are used to colour your clothes are actually really bad for the environment because most are made from fossil fuel chemicals.

On this episode of Climate Connections, we feature Christopher Hunter, Chief Operating Officer, Colorifix - a UK-based company that’s harnessing the colour-changing ability of bacteria in nature to make those dyes. The company is also a finalist of The Earthshot Prize 2023, which was held in Singapore.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

Special thanks to The Earthshot Prize

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From bottles and bags, to less obvious sources like teabags and clothes - plastic pollution is any plastic that ends up in the environment. 

With the global call to fight climate change growing louder, innovators are hard at work to develop solutions that can make plastic disappear. 

On this episode of Climate Connections:

The Earthshot Prize 2022 winner, Rodrigo García González, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Notpla takes us behind-the-scenes of his company's seaweed-based invention that naturally decomposes in weeks, compared to 700 years for plastic.

Associate Professor Soo Han Sen from the NTU School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology shares how his team developed a method to upcycle plastics into liquids that can store hydrogen.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Ryan Huang

Music/photo credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

Special thanks to The Earthshot Prize

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How challenging is it to take a shot at saving the planet? It sure ain’t easy, but innovators around the world are attempting to do so, each in their very own ways. 

On this episode of Climate Connections, Sarah Cragg, Head of Asia Pacific for The Earthshot Prize, which is the brainchild of Britain’s Prince William - shares more insights on what the climate-focused charity is up to, ahead of Prince William's trip to Singapore next week, for this year’s award ceremony, where five environment warriors will be awarded £1 million, for their efforts at developing solutions to repair the planet before irreversible damage occurs.

Produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Presented by: Ryan Huang & Emaad Akhtar

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

Photo credits: The Earthshot Prize

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Over the past half century, Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, has undergone rapid population growth, resulting in the loss of millions of trees due to urban development in the city.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Manja Kargbo, Co-Architect of Freetown The TreeTown initiative and finalist of The Earthshot Prize 2023 shares how the city is on course to meet its ambitious target of planting one million trees by 2024, and how her team is reimagining nature sustainability for cities beyond Freetown.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

Special thanks to The Earthshot Prize

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Solar power saw a boom in 2023, making it the fastest growing source of electricity generation for the 19th year running. This comes as countries around the world push for a transition towards greener sources of energy.

Australia has given the go-ahead for a A$20 billion (US$13.5 billion) solar project that plans to ship energy from a giant solar farm in the country's north to Singapore through a 4,300 km undersea cable. The approval comes with strict conditions to protect nature and the project must avoid the habitat of greater bilby, which are small rabbit-like marsupials with long floppy ears.

A final investment decision is expected in 2027. If eventually approved, the project aims to deliver up to 6 gigawatts of green electricity to large-scale industrial customers in Darwin, the capital city of Australia's Northern Territory, and in Singapore.

But how challenging are such large scale energy projects and are cross-border collaborations the most important key to renewable energy adoption?

On this episode of Climate Connections, Hanwei Wu, Editorial Director, OPIS shares his insights. He heads the Asia-Pacific team in producing price assessments and proprietary data for the oil, petrochemical, renewables and carbon markets.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Audrey Siek
Photo credits: SunCable
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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It’s World Food Day today! Did you know that what we eat and how the food is produced are closely linked to sustaining ageing populations and their well-being? 

On this episode of Climate Connections, it’s a deep dive with Francois Scheffler, Regional Vice-President of Health, Nutrition and Care for Asia Pacific at dsm-firmenich, to find out what innovative solutions can be tapped on to push communities a step closer towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in the areas of sustainable consumption and production, as well as good health and well-being. 

Presented by: Emaad Akhtar

Produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Modern kitchens in urbanised cities usually boast a host of advanced cooking tools that not just cut down cooking time, but also absorb cooking fumes!

But did you know, the simple act of cooking often turns deadly for low-income communities living in Africa? 

On this episode of Climate Connections, Charlot Magayi, Founder & CEO of Mukuru Clean Stoves and Winner of Clean Our Air, Earthshot Prize 2022 shares her personal journey to change that situation for her community and beyond.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

Photo credits: The Earthshot Prize & Mukuru Stoves

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What are the real challenges behind finding an equitable solution to balance out our needs and those whose livelihoods depend on the fossil fuel industry, versus the longer term goal of protecting Mother Earth?

On this episode of Climate Connections, we dive into whether the complete phase-out of fossil fuels is a realistic dream with Dr Swati Sharma, Lecturer at NTU’s School of Social Sciences.

Produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Ryan Huang & Emaad Akhtar

Photo credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

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Japan’s plan to gradually release more than a million tonnes of treated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant has deeply divided nations and scientists.

But, a month after the first discharge, Japanese authorities say no detectable amount of tritium has been found in fish samples taken from waters near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

On this episode of Climate Connections - we take a deep dive with chemical oceanography expert, Associate Professor Patrick Martin from the NTU Asian School of the Environment - to find out what goes behind the risk assessments and a comparison of the levels of radioactivity in the discharged wastewater versus other sources.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Voiced by: Ryan Huang

Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

Photo credits: THE ASAHI SHIMBUN VIA GETTY IMAGES

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