While you exhale

Within the five minutes it will take you to skim through the following piece, you will have emitted a number of kilogrammes of carbon dioxide, frequently identified as the chief culprit of climate change. Interesting to note that the warming effect of other gases is even more insidious, with methane (mainly from cattle farms and open landfills) being 21 times more "effective" as a warming gas, and sulphur hexafluoride, used mainly in industry (e.g. in the manufacture of plasma screens) being a staggering 26,000 more "effective".

I had the pleasure of attending the Final Workshop on the 2nd National Communication to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) last Friday. Invariably, I was the only MEP candidate present. What's the message that transpires from all this - that perhaps climate change is not a priority for other political parties, since they were not represented at this important workshop.

To give some background on the scope of such a meeting, work on the compilation of Malta's second communication to the UNFCCC started in earnest in June 2007 and will have been completed by July. The Implementing Agency for this climate change initiative project is Mepa and the project is being conducted in collaboration with the Department of Physics, University of Malta. The three Working Groups set up for the main tasks are WG I - Greenhouse Gas Inventory, WG II - Greenhouse Gas Abatement and WG III - Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change, and these have now submitted their draft reports.

Many still twitch their noses at the very mention of climate change. Many are still sceptical of the need to take drastic measures. As made clear in the Stern report and countless other sterling economic assessments, the costs of staying put and not doing anything on climate change will translate into steeper costs for our economy than if we had to embark on the adaptation process now.

As was rightly expounded at the workshop and in the various IPCC (Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change) assessments, the Mediterranean is a hotspot for climate change in view of the predicted drop in rainfall and the spike in temperatures which will exacerbate demand for freshwater, reduce the agricultural potential of the region, proliferate infectious diseases within the region whose touristic allure would also invariably be dented.

More subtle ecological impacts should not be overseen, such as the tropicalisation of our seas and an increase in their acidity which in turn could spell disaster for marine organisms with a calcareous shell of skeleton.

Our country's economic development has translated into burgeoning Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) - in fact, between 2004 and 2007, such emissions have spiralled by 49 per cent, with 89 per cent of the same emissions attributable to the energy sector. During the same period, there was an increase of almost two tons of carbon dioxide produced per capita on an annual basis.

It seems we are rapidly catching up on our European counterparts - while the European average is that of 10.4 tons of carbon dioxide/individual/year, the figure for Malta has soared to 7.3 tons, ranking us 12th in terms of emissions per capita in the European stage. Our GHG emissions amount to 0.1 per cent of the European total - this obviously does not preclude us from any responsibility cutting down on emissions.

Many, especially fellow MEP candidates, have harped on the need to address climate change issues, but how many actually appreciate the implications of their borrowed speeches? How many are convinced that climate change is not a concoction or conspiracy but is a reality? How many have the tabs on the scientific arguments such that they can convince fellow MEP's in the European Parliament and, more essentially, their electorate, on the need to take action.

Bottom line: You need technical and competent individuals to represent Malta on environmental issues since the time for hot air is well and truly over. I look forward to representing Malta on the ENVI committee of the European Parliament to put my nous to good use for the benefit of my country, such as tackling the need for drought-resistant crops to be introduced, or more effective water-conservation features and GHG-emissions abatement measures (e.g. a reformed transport system).