Climate change: Malta eyes water shortages and the coast
What do tiny Malta and the entire African continent have in common? Their contribution to climate change is negligible but they will be among the hardest hit.
Malta lies in the middle of the two most vulnerable regions to threats imposed by climate change, according to a European Commission White Paper published earlier this year. Being a small island state, Malta's threats are exacerbated, a fact acknowledged by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi during a recent parliamentary debate on the subject:
"The impact on small island states - particularly water shortages and sea level rise - is no joke. Because of sea level rise, we could lose a high percentage of our coast."
However, the European Environment Agency (EEA) told The Sunday Times that Malta had still not forwarded any plans regarding climate change impact, vulnerability and adaptation, in contrast with other Mediterranean countries that "have prepared quite extensive climate change assessments".
In a report entitled "Impacts of Europe's Changing Climate", the EEA outlines the Mediterranean's vulnerability. The threats include an increased risk of floods and droughts, losses of biodiversity, threats to health, and damage to economic sectors such as energy, transport, forestry, agriculture and tourism.
Malta's vulnerability to climate change was recognised by the government in 2004 in its assessment for the First National Communication of Malta to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The country's report acknowledged that averting the worst effects requires a strong will for immediate action.
Five years later, Resources Minister George Pullicino pledged that a committee would draw up a strategy for adaptation to climate change. This was last August and no timelines have been set.
As an island nation that draws most of its water supply from the sea through desalination plants at considerable cost, fresh water is a precious resource. The Malta Resources Authority (MRA), the country's regulator, acknowledges that Malta is one of those Mediterranean countries under the 'constant pressure' of water scarcity.
Yet, it is not illegal in Malta to extract groundwater for commercial purposes, the MRA said. Two weeks ago, the government maintained it will not charge tariffs for ground water extraction while publicising its effort to register those making unauthorised use of the groundwater supply.
By 2015, Malta must cut back extraction to 23 million cubic metres to achieve good quality groundwater, but there is no strategy laid out in a national water policy, according to hydrologist Marco Cremona.
The other major threat is coastal management. The one proposed measure in this regard - moving the Ghdira road further inland - came in for criticism, and Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt recently announced that he plan has been shelved until further studies are carried out.
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Lianne Bonello
Apr 27th 2010, 18:32
I have been doing quite a lot of projects and essay and studied climate change for quite some time, i just wanted to thank you becuase none of the articles and notes i read could have described it better even your response to the comments sent to you were very helpful,
thanks again
ALex Ellul
Dec 9th 2009, 22:53
@Raymond Sammut who cannot understand how CO2 increases in the atmosphere:
Let me explain: Continued: Gases dissolve in water, the colder the water, the more gases it will be able to hold. So, when water warms up, dissolved gases are released. In the case of the oceans, these will release some of the gases dissolved, including CO2, just like a warm can of beer will gush out when opened, due to the CO2 gas dissolved under pressure in the can. If the can is chilled before opening, the gas will not gush out. Henry's law of gases. Same with oceans and atmosphreric CO2. with every increase or decrrease in temperarure, a new balance will have to be reached between the CO@ in the atmosphere and the CO2 dissolved in the ocean waters. Due to the vastness of the oceans and the miniscule increase or decrease in temperature, the new balance is reached AFTER MANY YEARS, Centuries. Hope you can understand the science now.
Raymond Sammut
Dec 8th 2009, 02:36
@ Stephen Borg -- "CO2 levels rise 800 years after temperature rise and not the other way round"
Stephen, you need to clarify your statement. I have trouble understanding it.
Basically, without animals on the planet, CO2 emission and CO2 absorption by the earth's oceans & vegetation would balance out. (Neutral CO2.) This would have been the case for millions of years. Humans came on this planet just 3.5M years ago, and the coal fired steam engine was introduced just 120 years ago.
Human population has increased by 4B in the past 40 years. At the same time, CO2 in the atmosphere has also increased by 22%. And at the same time, the average global temperature during the same period also increased by 1/2 degree Celsius.
1/2 degree Celsius may not seem much. But this is only the "average". It's the peak and troughs that are proving to be dangerous -- causing prolonged droughts and devastating floods.
Raymond Sammut
Dec 8th 2009, 02:02
@ Alex Ellul
"American Thinker" was founded in 2003 by Thomas Lifson, a conservative American who studied modern Japan, sociology and business, and worked as a consultant for major companies in just about every industrialized country.
On the other hand, science as we know it today was founded in the days of Galileo Galilei when people still lived in darkness and were led to believe that the earth is flat. I therefore choose to believe science and not people like Mr Lifson who have only their own interest to protect.
Raymond Sammut
Dec 8th 2009, 01:43
@ Alex Ellul -- "The polar bear population has quadrupled since 1950."
You cannot make wild claims without supporting evidence, and more importantly to create a false impression on the status of a species, Mr Ellul.
The following is dated December 27, 2006: "WASHINGTON, D.C.–Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne today announced the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to list the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and initiating a comprehensive scientific review to assess the current status and future of the species."
That's 3 years ago.
"WASHINGTON, D.C.–Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne today announced that he is accepting the recommendation of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dale Hall to list the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The listing is based on the best available science, which shows that loss of sea ice threatens and will likely continue to threaten polar bear habitat. This loss of habitat puts polar bears at risk of becoming endangered in the foreseeable future, the standard established by the ESA for designating a threatened species."(May 14, 2008)
That's just over a year ago.
Jesmond Micallef
Dec 7th 2009, 21:18
Mr Alex Ellul,
I look at the planet as an equilbrium of states and energíes which are inter-related as you may well know.
Crude Oil:
Crude oil is pumped up from beneath the surface as a heavy viscous fluid, this fluid is then refined and the constituents separated into the various densities which we define as heavy fuel oils, diesels,kerosenes, and the gasolines,- the fractions. This process needs an energy input (heat) in order to separate these fractions, meaning the energy state of this viscous crude oil substance is changed. Nature tells us that matter exists in its lower state of energy, consider ores or oxides for example. Furthremore, we burn the fractions in auto engines, gas turbines, boilers, and in all the prime movers one can think of !! I will not even indulge commenting about the thermodynamic efficiencies here, that is another story altogether !!!
To conclude, I beleive that the Earths energy balance is not the same anymore as it was years ago. This is my argument.
Dr Francis Saliba
Dec 7th 2009, 17:06
Climate change is a fact. What is in doubt is how far is this man made and how far it is part of a natural recurring cycle. Manipilating scientific evidence is counterproductive.
Raymond Sammut
Dec 7th 2009, 11:46
@ cassar i
Your comment is extremely misleading. Roger Revelle died in 1991. That year he had just been awarded the National Medal of Science. Following the award ceremony, he simply made a remark with a reporter, and that in no way makes him a "grandfather". There is no such thing as a grandfather of global warming, and there never will be.
For the record, Revelle predicted as early as 1957 that the earth's oceans will start to absorb CO2 present in the atmosphere at "a slower rate". In spite of this prediction, and in accordance with measurements available today, it is found that oceans and vegetation across the planet's surface are still absorbing CO2 at a slightly higher rate than they are emitting. This balance, however, is greatly offset by human activity which continues to use fossil fuels in large quantities.
The BBC report "Study shows variability in ocean's CO2 uptake" by Mark Kinver (Friday, 4 December 2009) is pertinent to Revelle's prediction.
Alex Ellul
Dec 7th 2009, 00:46
http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/12/understanding_climategates_hid.html . This is how the global warming scam was deviced to fool the people of this planet. This is for those who have courage enough to admit that they have been scammed, including our local politicians.
Alex Ellul
Dec 7th 2009, 00:39
@Raymond Sammut: The polar bear population has quadrupled since 1950. There are so many polar bears today that they are now foraging far and away from normal areas, thus overlapping the brown bear lands. A cross between a polar and a grizzly has been noted, but this does not prove climate change. Neither hyping canibalism in bear populations. Canada has just experienced one of its coldest winters ever, but this is not hyped up, but hidden in the news. There has been so much cold weather these last years that if it is hyped a bit, we wil be convinced that we are entering a new ice-age. But this is climate change, natural climate change which has been with us since day one, is with us and will be with us forever. No one can stop the climate from changing, not Copenhagen, not Obama, not me or you. CO2 gas is not the causing climate change, or, global warming. Co2 gas is plant food. Without it there will be no life on earth. It is as important to life as oxygen, nitrogen and water. What is not important to life is false science, hyped up news and failed politicians. S
Alex Ellul
Dec 6th 2009, 23:41
cont'd..the UK Met office has declared that it will review all climate records, declaring that it will take 3 years to re-issue the real records. However these facts are being hidden by the mainstream media and politicinas, since these are the same entities that have made big profits from hyped up news and taxed the people to pump money to the science scammers. Thus, the news media and the politicians are trying to hide their shame from us by continuing the scam. But the longer the lie is supported, the greater wil e their fall. Meanwhile, politicians are making fools of themselves by holding parliamentary sessions under water, in the freezing himalayan mountains, and now attending the Copenhagen meeting, which has been described as just a photo-op since no agreement will be reached.
Global warming scam is over.
Alex Ellul
Dec 6th 2009, 23:32
-cont'd. This autmn we have already had 2 consecutive months of below-average temperatures (October-November). The northern hemisphere has already experienced its record colds, early snows ect since october. Just this week saw record early snow in Hueston, Texas. It had never snowed this early. One may say that this is weather not climate. But climate is the integration of global weather, and globally, the weather is showing , proving that the planet is cooling. The global warming scammer scientists had, last year, inputted the September temperatures for the October ones, for Russia, thus they were able to declare that October was the warmest ever. Then, one climateologist who had been paying attention, noted the mistake. So, what the scammers did, was, increased the arctic temperatures, so that hey would still be able to show global warming. Now the truth is out. The scam is out. it is being called CLIMATE GATE. The CRU scientists had destroyed valuable, real thermometer records. They had cooked te climate books to make the Medieval Warming Period disappear from history so they would be able to claim that the last warming. The chief scientists at CRU has already esigned, -cont'd..
Alex Ellul
Dec 6th 2009, 23:32
-cont'd. This autmn we have already had 2 consecutive months of below-average temperatures (October-November). The northern hemisphere has already experienced its record colds, early snows ect since october. Just this week saw record early snow in Hueston, Texas. It had never snowed this early. One may say that this is weather not climate. But climate is the integration of global weather, and globally, the weather is showing , proving that the planet is cooling. The global warming scammer scientists had, last year, inputted the September temperatures for the October ones, for Russia, thus they were able to declare that October was the warmest ever. Then, one climateologist who had been paying attention, noted the mistake. So, what the scammers did, was, increased the arctic temperatures, so that hey would still be able to show global warming. Now the truth is out. The scam is out. it is being called CLIMATE GATE. The CRU scientists had destroyed valuable, real thermometer records. They had cooked te climate books to make the Medieval Warming Period disappear from history so they would be able to claim that the last warming. The chief scientists at CRU has already esigned, -cont'd..
Alex Ellul
Dec 6th 2009, 23:22
Last winter Malta experienced a long drawn out cold winter, like the rest of the northern hemisphere. We also has a near record rain and three consecutive months below average temperatures. The rest of the northern hemisphere also experienced record snows, cold spells etc. The southern hemisphere experienced its record colds too. We had snow in Saudi Arabia.. the list is endless. The fact is that this planet, contrary to what the mad-cap IPCC scientists had predicted with their toy computer models (not actual thermometer readings,) stopped warming in 1998. It started a crash cool in 2003 and has not stopped yet. The global warming experienced during the latter part of the last century was due to a record solar activity while the current global cooling is due to the near-record solar minimum. WE ARE IN A GLOBAL COOLING PHASE. This global cooling is what sent the CRU (Climate Resaerch Unit, UK) scientists berserk forcing them to falsify temperatures so that they would be able to continue the global warming scare, turning it into a scam, now denounced by a whistleblowe, publishing thousands of e-mails proving that climate-change science is based on a lot of self-interest, politics and money. cont'd
Michael Baldry
Dec 6th 2009, 22:19
Marco Cremona thanks for your advice I will have my water meter checked. I thought I was being ripped off and you have confirmed this! I still cannot understand why Malta does not have more reservoirs etc for rain water.
Jesmond Micallef
Dec 6th 2009, 21:21
Continued:
The problematic coastal areas around Malta should be carefully identified. An important parameter here is seabed depth, how deep the sea is. The mapping of the seabed around Malta should indicate what can be done here. Dredging is a solution in order to change the seabed profile. With carefull thought, the seabed can be made deeper and the profile optimised somehow. Such techniques are used in harbour construction as was used in Birzebugia during the construction of the Malta Freeport.
Anyway, Malta needs to be very very clever here, for its own sake. In Malta there is this intelligence, just do not let politics come in between. Malta and Gozos future are at stake and no politics should interfere with that.
With my best wishes.
Jesmond Micallef
Dec 6th 2009, 21:07
First of all, for those who think that climte change is not real, please go for a long walk, you need some fresh air !!
Secondly, when it comes to measuring the emissions of pollutants, I consider the unit KWhr consumed as the basis, and not surface area. This unit makes more sense as it directly relates to the source itself ie : the combustion of the fossil fuel. The basis of surface area may involve environmental factors such as wind vectors (speed and direction) which will make the measurement relative and not absolute.
The water problem in Malta is indeed a serious one. Malta should think "Clean Water Production" right from the start and less energy dependant water production. Natural evaporation comes in very handy here. Problems of collection and further treatment are easy to solve. As far as rainwater is concerned, I mention Birzebugia, a lot of rainwater is simply lost to the sea as collection is very very poor indeed. I have witnessed this several times.
The coastal areas are problematic indeed with respect to rising seawater levels. This will be a very very challenging problem should the sand beaches be protected just to name one consequence.
Anthony Pace Gouder
Dec 6th 2009, 19:32
@ M.Sammut / M . Baldry
Besides the TRILLIONS of Cubic Meters (1 Cubic Meter = 220 gallons ) that is wasted as it flows back to the sea, the Water being treated at the Sewage Plants , is also flushed into the sea , for the sole reason that there are no reservoirs available ?????
This is sheer incompetance , but the Prime Minister pretends to be worried that water is getting scarce, and how the RO Plants are consuming 20% of the Total Energy Produced at Marsa and Delimara ! ALSO STRESSES that emissions worldwide should be reduced , to prevent Climate Change , and here his Government does the opposite .
Some foolish Expert/s (?) recently , had suggested a TUNNEL running under BIRKIRKARA to prevent FLOODING , and make the WATERS FLOW even FASTER to Valley Road and IMSIDA !!! Sheer Madness .!
Dr. Gonzi himself was reported happily announcing this at the B'kara PN Club , before the last election ! How gullible ! That surely is not the Right SOLUTION , for I know .
So ,are we to understand that all the King's Men are not CAPABLE.................
c and something must be done,
Stephen Borg
Dec 6th 2009, 19:24
Ray Sammut
All you said is true but all you said does not mean it's the human's fault. The Earth's temperature has changed so many times during the last million years when the human being did not even exist. That is my point. CO2 levels rise 800 years after temperature rise and not the other way round
Raymond Sammut
Dec 6th 2009, 18:47
@ cassar i -- Why can't you tell us how excess "Co2 [in the amosphere] does not [a]ffect tempreture"?
The polar bear existed not just over the past 1000 years, but over the past several millions of years. It is only now that this species, among thousands of other species (both plants and animals), is facing extinction.
M Vella
Dec 6th 2009, 18:32
@cassar I - if you even bothered to read the IPCC report you will see that only a small part of the increase in temperature is due to the 'bouncing back' from the Little Ice Age. The rest of the increase is due to us!
cassar i
Dec 6th 2009, 18:09
@ stephen borg
Well said. infact tomorrow is Climate fools day
@M vella pls note that we are leaving what is called the little ice age...(world's natural cycle)
that why there is a rise in temp. The last 1000years data have been omitted by the IPCC !!
ps Co2 does not effect tempreture. ask Roger Revelle the Grandfather of Global Warming
Basically climate change equates to more taxes and more so less dependency on oil.the world's power--- no oil no power got the message now.
m. borg (slm)
Dec 6th 2009, 18:07
Building a new parliament and rebuilding a useless open air theater are more important to Dr Lawrence Gonzi than water catchments. This matter of wrong priorities cannot be blamed on him only because his predecessor did nothing regarding water catchments.
After all plaques to commemorate a water catchment does not have the same value as a plaque commemorating a new parliament for posterity sake's.
Raymond Sammut
Dec 6th 2009, 17:49
"As an island nation that draws most of its water supply from the sea through desalination plants at considerable cost, fresh water is a precious resource." (Pullicino)
Yet, storm water on Malta keeps finding its way into the sewer instead to water catchments. And there are hardly any catchments on Malta. Even an important and natural catchment such as the Chadwick is allowed to fall into disuse and dereliction. The Chadwick, in fact, should never have to run dry, and should be made to overflow in winter to tandem valleys, namely, Mosta, Naxxar and Madliena. Water catchments have always been important infrastructure, and have always been systematically ignored by successive governments.
The Maltese government simply takes the easy way out. Pipe precious rain water into the sewer, and bring in the desalinators. Utterly disgusting.
Marco Cremona
Dec 6th 2009, 17:45
@ Mr. Baldry
You say "My water bill averages over 600 euros per year for a small apartment (one person only)". I suggest you carry out a water audit FAST !
A 2-person household in Malta consuming an average 90 litres per capita per day pays Euro 80 a year for the water they consume (plus another Euro 60/year service charge) - and that's after the doubling of water tariffs last year. Euro 80 for 66,000 litres of potable water delivered to your roof tank at pressure on demand. This works out at Euro 0.0012 per litre.
The water supply in Malta is still highly subidised but this has got to change, with or without climate change. Climate change will only make our problems worse.
Dr Francis Saliba
Dec 6th 2009, 16:37
Malta has fallen much behind the times of the Knights in husbanding the rainfall that falls on our roofs. As our concrete jungle expands and encroaches more and more on our agricultural land and the garigue millions of gallons of rainwater falling on our rooftops are being deviated on to our tarmac roads and valleys without retaining dams to be lost into the sea after flooding our low-lying areas.
The obligation that every building should include a well is being neglected under the pretext of problems connected with the ownership and utilization of the well water by the various occupants of flats under the same roof. This excuse is totally inadmissible. The provision of a well of sufficient capacity to collect all the rainwater falling on a roof should be made obligatory in all cases and enforced strictly. It is not essential or even desirable that the well be rendered waterproof because the percolation of the well water through the underlying rock would over time gradually replenish the aquifer from which we extract our ground water supply
mario gellel
Dec 6th 2009, 15:38
"PM GONZI IS AWARE OF MALTA 'S THREATS ARE EXACERBATED"
IS IT THE SAME PM GONZI THAT IS IMPOSING ON US AN EXPERIMENTAL HEAVY FUEL POWER PLANT???
Raymond Sammut
Dec 6th 2009, 14:52
@ Stephen Borg -- "Why so many people think that the climate change issue is real?" Because so many people are aware that the Arctic has melted. Polar bears are, for the first time, mating with grisly bears; so much so their coat is changing from white to off-white. And because Arctic ice is taking much longer to form in winter, polar bears cannot reach their hunting grounds on time to feed. This is driving polar bears to eat their own cubs. This is just to give only one example.
Ivan Attard
Dec 6th 2009, 14:51
This 'climate change' hoax is going too far now! What is needed for Malta's water shortage problems is to tackle the issue of rainwater run-off waste which has NEVER been addressed by our INCOMPETENT vote-oriented governments!
Climate Change seems to be the buzz-word for all the world's ills today!
Raymond Sammut
Dec 6th 2009, 13:17
"Malta lies in the middle of the two most vulnerable regions to threats imposed by climate change, according to a European Commission White Paper published earlier this year." This statement is incorrect, even if it comes from the European Commission. The most vulnerable region is Australia for two reasons. One is its chronic desertification. And two is its proximity to the Antarctica.
If the entire Antarctica region was to melt, the sea level would rise by about 7 metres. Thus far scientists do not think that the Antarctica ice will melt because temperatures there are still very low. Nevertheless, Pacific island nations are already suffering greatly from peak weather conditions due to changes in climate. The Maltese islands will be among the last hit because of their remoteness from the polar caps.
M Vella
Dec 6th 2009, 13:11
well global warming is a fact! In a few days, the UK Met Office will be releasing the data of over 1000 land weather stations which show very clearly that temperatures ARE rising!
D.Calleja
Dec 6th 2009, 12:48
Latest News Flash:
UN climate chief: says hacked e-mails are damaging
AP - Il-Ħadd, 6 ta' Diċembru 2009 03:56:30
The top U.N. climate official says hacked e-mails from climate scientists that appear to cast doubt on their research do look bad, but studies of global warming are solid.
Yvo de Boer says the review process by some 2,500 scientists of climate change research is thorough and credible.
He acknowledged the e-mails did serious damage by fueling skepticism among those who believe the science is manipulated to exaggerate global warming.
He said the e-mails from scientists at the University of East Anglia indicating some data was not released to the public raised a serious issue that needs to be investigated.
De Boer told The Associated Press Sunday on the eve of a 192-nation climate summit he was confident the conference will succeed.
Mario Sammut
Dec 6th 2009, 12:23
Mr. Baldry , agree with you 100 per cent. I live in Valley Road , B'Kara , so needless to say I have to watch millions of gallons of rain water go to the sea , wasted. I have often wondered why our part time politicians , who the gullible Maltese are so smitten by , do not put their heads together so that they might come up with a solution about a way to save all these millions of gallons of God sent water. But , alas , Malta , so rich as it is , Has more than that to worry about. So busy with fragmenting the family values by persuading all mothers to go to work so that they can pay for the expensive monopolostic energy bills thrusted upon them by the state. Oh by the way , we will soon have circa a million cars on the road , looking after our environment . Then my time is wasted by some idiot trying to tell me how to look after the environment for the next generation . What about this generation ? What a fiasco!!!!!!!!!!!
Stephen Borg
Dec 6th 2009, 11:48
Why so many people think that the climate change issue is real? The proper word in Maltese for these people is MAZZUN
E.Muscat
Dec 6th 2009, 11:41
@M.Baldry:is this the electricity and water combined bill?If not,you either have a big leak somewhere or somebody is stealing your water!
Raymond Sammut
Dec 6th 2009, 11:02
@ Caroline Muscat
"Their contribution to climate change is negligible but they will be among the hardest hit." Malta's contribution is anything but "negligible". CO2 contribution is measured per sq km. Malta is one of the most, if not the most, polluter in the world.
Michael Baldry
Dec 6th 2009, 11:00
The water mismanagement on this island is what causes water shortages. There was enough rain last winter to last all summer (with less tourists!). When it rains here it really rains and deposits huge amounts of water why do the water authority not have better ways of collecting and storing it?You should only have shortages if you have droughts and this has certainly not been the case for the last couple of years. The main result of global warming so far seems to be more rain why do we not have more resevoirs?My water bill averages over 600 euros per year for a small apartment (one person only) this is over double that of the UK but when I moved here it was about half the cost of the UK. I do not know how the Maltese people can afford this on low wages!