On Ear to Asia, we talk with Asia experts to unpack the issues behind news headlines in a region that is rapidly changing the world. Ear to Asia is produced by Asia Institute, the Asia research specialists at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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episode 140: How the future of Indonesia's peatlands will shape climate change
With the return of the El Niño weather pattern after a three-year hiatus, several Southeast Asian nations are preparing for the resurgence of the hazardous haze caused by peatland fires in Indonesia. Indonesia’s 24 million hectares of tropical peatlands – the largest holding worldwide – support vital biodiversity and carbon storage. However, agricultural expansion and drainage for oil palm and pulpwood plantations pose severe threats to these ecosystems. These activities release vast amounts of greenhouse gases, and peat, once drained, is also highly combustible, emitting even more greenhouse gases if ignited. So how closely linked is the fate of the peatlands to global warming? And how can Indonesia balance its development needs while also protecting the environment and contributing to global climate goals? Experts on Indonesia's peatlands, Professor Daniel Murdiyarso and Dr Luba Volkova, examine the current state of Indonesia's peatlands and ongoing conservation efforts, in conversation with presenter Peter Clarke.
An Asia Institute podcast.
Produced and edited by profactual.com.
Music by audionautix.com.