Promoting an informed debate

A practical workshop on unstable landscapes and the management of slope instability, with special reference to the northwest coast of Malta, was recently held for geography students at the University of Malta.

At the workshop, Mauro Soldati, a lecturer on geomorphology at the University of Modena, presented a talk on mapping, monitoring and modelling of landslides.

The University of Malta's geography department, with some outside help, has predicted a problem at Anchor Bay which could have a potential negative impact on tourism if not properly addressed. Discussions are, in fact, underway with the tourism authority about geological risks at this popular spot.

In cases of landslides, the degree of safety declines progressively over time and the curve of risk becomes ever steeper until the slightest event may trigger a disaster; it could be rainfall, a mild tremor, or even nearby changes in land use. Movement in the rocks of this coastal area is slow, there may be sudden rockfalls that endanger the surroundings.

Prof. Soldati also showed how fissures in a scenic table top, between the bays of Għajn Tuffieħa and Ġnejna, are widening at a rate of 1 cm each year, breaking up the mass of rock like a jigsaw, with possible risk to people who may be walking in the area.

Sustainability is no longer only about future generations and the impact of what we are doing on the future. It is about now.

At a launch of the University's new Institute for Sustainable Development, director Maria Attard spoke about Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a tool to support the formulation of strategies and decision-making.

Pollution information is fed into the Malta Environment and Planning Authority's databanks; yet it is not available to people who want to identify specific trends.

Although asthma hotspots are mapped, plotting a zone around Malta's power stations would show how many people suffer respiratory problems as a direct result of living or working nearby. GIS makes data personal and accessible.

"There is a lot of data... we know who the agencies who own this data are. It is a question of bringing together the information so people can use it," explained Dr Attard.

Under public health alone there is a wealth of data. A participant from the government health sector described networking as "good" on a technical level, although better communication is needed at higher levels besides cutting bureaucracy: "We are trying to link various indicators in the human body to environmental factors."

Much of the data already exists; it is just a question of connecting one with the other. A recently-signed European Regional Development Fund agreement with Mepa will ensure that any environmental data is made available free of charge.

GIS could be used to bring all local data on sea levels out in the open, instead of some of it being buried in dissertations, which may not be easy for all to find. Bringing people together to work on this is the only way to get results.

The positioning of markets is another important application of the GIS tool, as can be seen on the website www.thinklondon.com. Essex county council has engaged IBM to create a more integrated approach in the way it supplies and manages its public services. Many saw the move as controversial but also described it as reflecting the times we live in.

Michael Batty, professor of planning at the University College of London, showed how a substantial area of London is liable to flooding.

The Thames barrier, built to defend the city against surge tides, was intended to last another half century, but new predictions have set its useful lifetime as ending as early as 2020. Using GIS tools could help determine how effective measures would be if put in place, and thereby lead to a more informed debate.

Twitter feeds of data can be monitored and plotted on Google maps. Nature magazine has an island named Second Nature in the virtual world of Second Life on which to experiment. Such models can be used to ask 'What if...?' questions such as 'If the sea level rose by two metres what measures would be effective?' In this way it is hoped to engage policy discussion.

In terms of territory, Malta has the largest ratio of sea-to-land area. Aldo Drago, director of the Malta Operational Centre of the International Oceanic Institute, explained how the centre seeks to integrate Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) with sustainable development.

He said the use of MSP in international projects relevant to Malta was reaping success, while, sadly, links to most other national institutions are still "not yet strong enough". Prof. Drago said he was strongly against centres working in isolation and in favour of more integrated efforts.

A 2007 Mepa report, drawn up in response to a request from the United Nations Environment Programme regional activity centre, concluded that the successful development and implementation of marine spatial plans depends on a national policy framework.

Government's national strategy for sustainable development was finally endorsed in 2007 after three years in the making, only to fall under review again last year subject to "new directions".

The new institute set up at the University looks forward to contributing to the new strategy.