Vatican leading by example on climate

The magnificent photo of the Vatican's roof covered with solar panels (November 28) is certainly a sight for sore eyes - and one which shows how even a traditionally conservative institution as the Vatican is moving with the times and has managed to combine modern technology with classical architecture.

Even more welcoming is the news that the Vatican committed itself to use renewable energy for 20 per cent of its energy needs by 2020.

One should point out that it has no obligation to do so; it is not an EU Member State so the decision to go for renewables was taken on a purely voluntary basis - which makes it all the more commendable. The Vatican could have continued to consume electricity from the Italian electricity grid and in the process increase Italy's carbon emissions. But the Vatican decided to lead by example.

Not so SmartCity in Malta, in which the Maltese government is a major stakeholder and therefore has some leverage on how decisions are taken.

Despite the fact that Malta is facing huge problems in stabilising its carbon emissions and notwithstanding the fact that this country has a difficult commitment to produce 10 per cent of its energy from renewables by 2020, this "state-of-the-art" mega-project has not committed itself to generating one unit of electricity from renewables - despite its enormous electricity demand.

By its own admission, it will be using "conventional" technology and buying its electricity from our inefficient power stations - which will be hard-pressed to deliver a reliable supply once SmartCity comes on line.

SmartCity should have taken a feather from the Vatican's cap and voluntarily committed itself to renewables. Given that SmartCity failed to rise to the occasion, I cannot but applaud Labour's budget proposal of imposing a renewable energy commitment target of 10 per cent on all major projects in Malta.