Malta may have Earthwatch-run project by 2006

The environment has become a growing concern for most of us. Although there is still a lot to be done, there is no doubt that awareness has grown considerably of late. A marked change in thinking has also been noted.

On Thursday I had lunch and spent the afternoon and early evening at meetings with Dr Roger Mitchell, director, research and education (chief scientist), at the Earthwatch Institute (Europe).

This is not Dr Mitchell's first visit. He was in Malta four years ago and he saw quite a change towards positive thinking since then. "People are now looking at ways to solve the problems, whereas four years ago the attitude was different. There is now a more positive frame of mind, more forward looking. People are actually taking action," he told me.

Earthwatch Institute engages people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment.

It is committed to conserving the diversity and integrity of life on earth to meet the needs of current and future generations. Earthwatch promotes sustainable conservation of our natural resources and cultural heritage by creating partnerships among scientists.

I was present at the meetings as a committee member of the HSBC Cares for the Environment Fund (HCEF). So really, I was wearing two hats. HSBC locally has participated in Earthwatch projects all over the world. And globally HSBC has been involved with Earthwatch, as has Vodafone.

A number of local HSBC employees have participated in projects and came back exhilarated by the experience. It was therefore a natural progression that HCEF thought of inviting Earthwatch to Malta.

Some employees gave a presentation of their adventures at a social evening at St James Cavalier on Tuesday.

The evening was hosted by HSBC and the Earthwatch team gave a talk on how the Institute works and what kind of projects it gets involved in. An exhibition of the projects participated in by Maltese HSBC staff was also held at St James. And an employee who had participated in a turtle conservation project recited a poem he had written while with Earthwatch.

HCEF had already met most of the environmental NGOs and it has acted as a catalyst by organising an intensive four-day programme in which Dr Mitchell and his colleague Tom Burstow, programme manager, Environmental Engagement met not only NGOs but also officials from MEPA, the university, heritage organisations and relevant ministers.

Dr Mitchell has his work cut out, because he now has to filter all the information he has gathered, and the institute will then decide whether it will run a project in Malta and which one.

HCEF would like to see Malta chosen as a hub concept covering several projects which could include any of the following: dolphins, marine snails, turtles, corals, caves, bats (we have one licensed bat ringer in Malta), birds, lizards on St Paul's Island, indigenous plants and data collection of all our heritage.

"Collecting data is damned hard work," Dr Mitchell told us, it was therefore important that volunteers who join a project have diversity. Conservation isn't just about facts. Earthwatch needs informed and committed people to make a real impact.

When projects are chosen they are catalogued together with over 100 expeditions volunteers can join. It could be Malaysian bat conservation, Kenya's black rhinos, the French Fort of Mauritius or Australia's vanishing frogs.

Another Earthwatch objective is to get NGOs to work together.

A lot of worthwhile projects never get off the ground in Malta due to lack of human resources. If Earthwatch does decide to run a project here that problem would be solved.

Although Dr Mitchell could not confirm Earthwatch would be involved in Malta before he presents his report, he did say the level of commitment and the hard work our environmental NGOs the university, the heritage organisations, and the MEPA Environment directorate dedicate to the cause impressed him.

And there is no doubt that HSBC's support will have a bearing on Earthwatch's decision.

"The future quality of life on these beautiful islands will depend on the steps we all take now and Earthwatch has huge experience of doing this around the world.

"HSBC Cares for the Environment Fund is very pleased to work with Earthwatch to do something on this in Malta," said Shaun Wallis, HSBC's CEO and HCEF Chairman.

Once the decision is taken "it will move at a cracking pace," said Dr Mitchell and we could see an Earthwatch run Malta project by early 2006.

Let's keep our fingers crossed.