A green new deal

It is realistic, rather than pessimistic, to state that the financial crisis has reached Malta too. Its pinch might not be felt as seriously as in other European countries, mainly due to the good work done by successive governments and the relative prudence of the actions of our banks. However, people are witnessing this crisis in various ways, from the individual who becomes more wary of his cash flow to workers in various sectors of the industry being laid off or else forced to work shorter weeks.

AD, together with the European Greens, is well aware of this problem and feels in duty bound to work towards solutions to this crisis. One can notice, in fact, a transition of the preoccupations of the Maltese electorate from concern with issues like quality of life and the environment to more pressing matters related to the economy, spending power and job security.

The proposal by the European Greens for a Green New Deal involves the creation of "green-collar jobs" for Europe, thus tackling two pressing emergencies being faced by the world today: the economic crisis and the energy crisis. It is a proposal that, typical to the Greens, combines ecology and economy, in the name of sustainable development. It is, however, also a vision being proposed by none other than Barack Obama to lift the US out of its deep economic turmoil.

The Green New Deal can be viewed as a new pact where governments go beyond bailing out ailing financial institutions and pledge to pump money in the economy in order to generate more, different and better jobs. For the Greens, the prevailing economic, food and ecological crises are all interrelated and unless and until EU leaders recognise this and act urgently to counter their underlying causes, they will not be able to offer anything other than superficial and short-term solutions.

We advocate a Green New Deal in order to both strengthen the economy and combat climate change. The move towards a low-carbon economy must not be seen as a threat but rather as an economic opportunity, which could lead to the creation of millions of European jobs in the renewables sector.

There are, in fact, various new economic sectors where ecology and the economy can move forward hand in hand: Clean transport, alternative energy, recycling and waste management, rural development and other new industries that, also in Malta, are potentially there for the taking.

An AD MEP will insist that better job opportunities and work conditions are created in Europe and Malta. The Greens are, in fact, promoting the idea of a global Green deal, which is estimated to generate five million Green jobs within the EU. The United Nations, trade unions and employers' associations within the EU and Malta are all supporting the call for the creation of Green jobs. At the same time, AD will promote policies to counter the negative effects of the economic crisis in order to protect groups such as senior citizens, young families and workers at risk of losing their employment.

At the same time, AD's manifesto for the June MEP elections dedicates substantial attention to the immediate realities that concern Maltese workers. An AD MEP will promote policies against insecure job contracts, precarious work and exploitation that are affecting various categories of workers, including young, aging, female workers and workers with family responsibilities.

We would be failing our citizens and future generations if we do not seize this opportunity to rethink our economic behaviour. A Maltese Green MEP will work together with his fellow MEPs from the European Green party to promote a new social model centred around the immediate and tangible needs of the people rather than those of industry and corporations.

The author is the chairman of Alternattiva Demokratika - the Green party and candidate for the European Parliament elections.

arnoldcassola@gmail.com, www.alternattiva2009.eu, www.arnoldcassola.wordpress.com