Malta ready to share desalination technology knowledge

Malta is willing to share its knowledge with EU members on desalination technology as a way of tackling water scarcity, Environment Minister George Pullicino said.

In optimising the use of this technology, Malta had drastically decreased the energy demand of its desalination plant, stabilising it further through an aggressive policy of tackling wastage and loss.

Speaking at an informal meeting of the EU Environment Ministers in Lisbon on water scarcity and drought, Mr Pullicino said the EU should tackle these concerns through measures that provided rapid results.

During the three-day meeting, which ended yesterday, it became clear that water scarcity and droughts have a direct impact on people and economic sectors, such as agriculture, tourism, industry, energy and transport.

Mr Pullicino expressed his commitment to tackle such a challenge and highlighted the importance of recognising geographical circumstances when addressing this pressing problem.

He stressed the importance of introducing measures and policies that would influence demands of this vital resource, without prejudicing social considerations.

The minister also took the initiative to place on the agriculture ministers' agenda the need to take water scarcity and draught into consideration in the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Mr Pullicino concluded by reminding fellow ministers that, while discussing the two pressing concerns at a European level, the targets and commitments made during the 2002 Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development had not yet been met.