More trees, different crops - fighting impact of climate change

Planting different crops that could survive drier climatic conditions is one of the measures being looked into by a committee appointed to reduce the impact of climate change on the island.

David Spiteri Gingell, who is chairing the committee set up yesterday, told The Times another measure could be to build infrastructure that captures more water in case of more concentrated rainfall.

"If we have flash floods we need a system that would capture the water and let it leak back into the water table," he said.

Climate change is expected to lead to warmer summers, and Mr Spiteri Gingell said one idea could be to build more roof gardens and plant more trees to give more shade.

The Mediterranean is expected to experience a decline in annual precipitation, lower crop yields and an increased water demand for agriculture while being at higher risk of sea rise.

"Heat waves may have a negative effect on the elderly," he said during a press conference to launch the 10-strong committee.

There might be more deaths - especially among the elderly - from heat waves. Moreover, climate change could have an impact on tourism, with the hotter weather no longer attracting so many people to the island.

And, if African countries suffered from higher desertification, more people might seek migration to more arable lands.

The strategy, focusing on health and socio-economic policy, water and flooding and biodiversity and agriculture, is expected to be finalised and presented to the government by March.

Mr Spiteri Gingell admitted the recommendations could have "a substantial impact" on the economy. However, doing nothing could also have an impact.

In fact, the draft National Energy Policy, has already established that more than €1 billion is needed to modernise the energy sector.

Environment Minister George Pullicino said it was imperative to have adaptation measures in place to counter climate change.

Malta is committed to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 20 per cent from the 1990 levels and ensure 10 per cent of its energy is generated from clean sources by 2020. It has also pledged that by then, gas emissions would not be more than five per cent higher than those of 2005 in transport, agriculture and waste management.

Mr Spiteri Gingell said once the Marsa power station was closed down, Malta would make a quantum leap in reducing CO2 emissions. The power station has an efficiency of some 23 per cent of every barrel of oil.

Asked whether the 100 megawatt extension of the Delimara power station would prejudice the reduction of greenhouse gases, Mr Spiteri Gingell, who headed the Climate Change Committee, defended the decision to go for a fuel oil extension, saying it was impossible to switch to gas-generated energy today because the island lacked the infrastructure.

The extension became embroiled in controversy after the contract was awarded to Scandinavian company BWSC for a fuel oil turbine although another company made a cheaper bid for a more environmentally friendly gas turbine. BWSC's turbine could be converted to gas at an additional price tag of €27.5 million.

Mr Spiteri Gingell yesterday said the Climate Change Committee had told the government to start looking at gas energy but added this would not be possible for at least another five years. He said building a gas pipeline would not happen overnight and importing compressed natural gas would need a ship to dock every 18 hours.

Moreover, importing liquefied natural gas would need a shuttle every three weeks as well as an all-weather dock or an increase in storage capacity.

Mr Pullicino yesterday said the Cabinet has just approved a number of measures to address the extraction of water from boreholes, although he would not divulge what they were.

He said these were expected to be announced next month. The country was extracting 11 million cubic metres of water more than the country could sustain every year, he added.