Adopting greener alternatives

The case for Malta to start to consider its 2020 environmental deadlines often falls on deaf ears. The normal response is that 2020 is 12 years or two-and-a-half legislatures away. I am increasingly being asked: Do we really have to worry about such a deadline now? My answer always is, without a doubt, yes. This is because the targets that Malta needs to meet under the EU's integrated climate and energy policies are steep.

In accordance with commitments entered into by the EU's 27 member sates during the European Councils of March 2007 and March 2008, 10 per cent of our total energy output needs to be produced by renewable energy sources by 2020. This means that the current production of our electricity from fossil fuels - gas oil and fuel oil - which we mostly import from mainland Europe needs to be cut by 10 per cent. Certainly not an easy commitment to keep when Malta lies at the very bottom of the EU table for production of energy from renewables.

Progress, albeit slow, has been registered. During the latest PN general council, the Prime Minister reiterated the party's electoral commitments with respect to the environmental objectives identified for our country. The Prime Minister's announcement regarding the envisaged introduction of offshore wind farm technology comes as a breath of fresh air in a field where we have procrastinated for far too long. The escalating oil prices severely tested our energy policies and challenged our ability to provide such a basic service to citizens and the commercial sector while respecting the principle of social justice and avoid undermining the competitiveness of our enterprises. The recent drop in oil prices should be no excuse for looking back.

Reaching our targets is going to be no easy task, particularly when other global economic players seem to be shying away from their climate change responsibilities. The March 2007 and March 2008 commitments have been translated into the so-called Climate Change Package, which the French Presidency will seek to adopt this December. Until the latest European Council, this all seemed set to happen. The conclusions tabled for adoption by the Prime Ministers and heads of state contained the clear sentence: "The European Council confirms its determination to honour the ambitious commitments it has made on climate and energy policy".

Italy and Poland arrived all geared up to water this statement down. Arguing that the global financial crisis has threatened their national economic stability, they asked for the 2020 targets to be reviewed. As a result, wording was added to the effect that the December European Council will decide on appropriate responses to the challenge of applying the Climate Change Package, having regard to each member state's specific situation.

Although seemingly harmless, this wording reveals the difficulties that are likely to lie ahead. Putting a piece of legislation for agreement at European Council level arguably means that such legislation needs to be adopted by unanimity rather than by qualified majority, as is normally required by the Treaty. This means that any one member state could block the adoption of the Climate Change Package in December.

Our government accepted its 2020 targets without objection. It recognised its responsibilities despite its obvious uphill struggle. A responsible government does not leave decisions, no matter how unpopular they may be at the time, for its successors to deal with. Any delay in tackling climate change both at the EU and the national level would increase Malta's adaptation efforts and significantly raise costs. Indeed, due to our vulnerability to climate change as a small island state, our challenges to bring in and adapt to successful green alternatives will only become harder if we had to choose to go down the easy road and allow for a derailing of the EU's targets in December.

The year 2020 is closer than it may seem.

The author is a Nationalist Party candidate for the European Parliament elections of June 6, 2009.

roberta@roberta2009.eu