When protecting the environment makes sound business sense - June 1, 2008

Business and the environment are not necessarily spoken about in the same breath, at least not on a daily basis and definitely, not until very recently.

These two worlds were thought to be light years away from each other, enemies at times. Nothing could be further from the truth as both have a lot to learn from each other.

Certainly, the business world has come to realise that environmental exploitation is a no-go and something which will ultimately be detrimental to the very companies that perpetuate it.

On the other hand, so too has the environmental world come to realise that it must work hand-in-hand with the business sector for sound project management to take place, with sustainable long-term goals on the horizon. It is precisely this medley of two distinct spheres that BirdLife Malta is seeking to achieve with its new campaign 'Connect with Nature', launched by Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino during a fundraising dinner held at the Argotti Gardens in Floriana.

Environmental protection is a worldwide concern, as many harmful practices over the centuries persisted. To readdress this damage and to ensure that such practices are not repeated, the EU has put into force seminal pieces of nature conservation legislation which its member states, including Malta, are called upon to enforce. These are the Birds Directive, established as far back as 1979, and the Habitats Directive, passed in 1992. Both directives are crucial in ensuring that more areas of our countryside enjoy special protection status and that therefore, all activity in these places is controlled.

In Malta, 11 internationally Important Bird Areas have been identified so far. These areas all have their own peculiarity and are important as much for the birds as for the other animals, insects and plants. For example, Buskett is one of Malta's few remaining woodlands and is an important roost site for birds of prey particularly during autumn migration.

Filfla is home to the largest breeding colony of European Storm-petrels in the Mediterranean, whereas the majestic cliffs at Ta' Ċenċ host one of the largest internationally important breeding colonies of Cory's Shearwaters in the Maltese islands.

Such is the EU's respect for the conservation work carried out by Birdlife, that, after an evaluation process, it then recommends that member states designate these Important Bird Areas into Special Protection Areas under EU legislation. Unfortunately, Malta's record on this is not that good and last year the European Commission sent its first written warning to the Maltese government for not designating enough protection areas for wild birds. In fact, of the 11 Important Bird Areas, only four have been fully designated as Special Protection Areas, with six of the remaining ones, including Ta' Ċenċ, partially protected, and one not covered at all. These protected areas also form part of the European wide network of Natura 2000, a network aimed at ensuring the protection and continuation of the most valuable species and habitats across the EU.

The Natura 2000 network has been hailed as the world's most ambitious nature protection system at the 9th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity held in Bonn, Germany, just this week. It currently includes more than 26,000 sites covering a total area of around 850,000 square kilometres of land area in the EU (20 per cent of territory) together with another 100,000 square kilometres of marine environment.

Territories included in this network do not exclude people and economic activities from them. Far from it, in fact, as sustainable activities are actually encouraged, while ensuring that damaging change is avoided at all costs and that these sites are managed properly. Therefore, Natura 2000 is the EU's firm commitment to biodiversity for its citizens and the world at large.

It is now time that we in Malta also take this commitment seriously, and this is where Birdlife's 'Connect with Nature' campaign comes into the picture. Birdlife intends to focus its work to carry out more scientific research, to obtain legal protection for important sites for birds and other wild life, and eventually manage and monitor protected areas in the Maltese islands. Of course, this is a long-term goal, and one that will require a lot of time and resources, both human and financial.

This is, therefore, an excellent opportunity for local companies and businesses to develop their corporate social responsibility further and 'Connect with Nature' by becoming corporate supporters of the campaign, in this way helping the protection and enhancement of further areas of our countryside, for the benefit of all.

For more information on the campaign and how you can contribute, visit www.birdlifemalta.org.