Malta to join developed nations in UN Climate Change convention

Malta will be applying to join a group of 40 developed nations, including EU states and Japan, which lead in the fight against global warming.

The move into Annex 1 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change will change Malta's status to that of a developed country.

In practice Malta is already bound the meet the targets of the UN's Annex 1 countries under its commitments as an EU member state. But the move gives Malta more say on the post-2012 debate which is set to start ahead of the expiry of the Kyoto protocol targets.

Malta intends to put itself on the same legal footing as its fellow (EU) member states, Resources and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino said last week during climate talks held in Poznan, Poland, a move which was applauded particularly by fellow member states.

The move comes as Malta celebrates the 20th anniversary since the adoption of the United Nations Resolution on Climate Change, which was moved by the island.

The Maltese government in 1988 had taken the initiative to encourage the UN to address climate change by drawing up a resolution to be considered in the UN General Assembly.

To mark the anniversary at the Poznan meeting, Mr Pullicino presented the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon with a painting by Maltese artist Luciano Micallef. Mr Ban said that Malta's vision 20 years ago was phenomenal and stimulated this discussion worldwide, adding that the latest decision to move into Annex I was a strong statement of Malta's commitment to fight climate change.