PL's statement on climate change aimed at hindering government's plan to provide cleaner air - ministry
The Labour Party’s statement that the Climate Change Committee had changed its position about gas from its draft to the final strategy was aimed at hindering and misinterpreting the government’s plan for Maltese and Gozitan families to benefit from a cleaner air and improved health, the Resources Ministry said.
The PL’s spokesman for the environment, Leo Brincat, said that the government had abandoned a decision that the country should opt for natural gas within the next six years.
He said that this was done at the same time that the BWSC contract was signed. He claimed that this had set the tone for the use of a plant operated by other sources of energy, including heavy fuel oil.
But the Resources Ministry denied that there had been a change in strategy about the use of gas.
It said in a statement that the committee was set up to propose measures to reduce green house gases. Both in its draft and in its final strategy, the committee made it clear that the measures should be implemented by the government only if their implementation led to a bigger reduction of greenhouse gases for each euro invested.
While Mr Brincat claimed that the reference to gas was removed in the final strategy because the number of recommendations had changed, what had actually happened was that the recommendation, which was originally numbered 21, was now numbered 35.
This clearly showed that Mr Brincat was wrong. The document also showed that the biggest amount of greenhouses emissions which had to be reduced would effectively be reached if the electricity generated was not generated from gas. This could also be seen by the first draft, which had also been debated in Parliament.
The committee, the ministry said, had drawn up 96 proposals the government could implement to reduce greenhouse gases. The opposition opted not to say anything during the public consultation period and rather than participate actively by moving solid proposals, Mr Brincat chose to instead move a 150-word motion in Parliament without making any suggestions. Such a complex subject merited much more seriousness than this.
Mr Brincat, the ministry said, had even been given a personal presentation of the strategy by the committee.
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Marco Cremona
Sep 2nd 2010, 06:26
This is what happens when the political class decides to set up puppet-authorities like the Malta Resources Authority (an authority only in name) and then intentionally leave them powerless and essentially useless.
And to make matters worse, we then give the Authority (sic) the responsibility for Climate Change Policy (alas, but not the necessary resources), and we get the the Ministry to explain/defend the Policy !! What a mess !!
The Ministry's job is to build an effecitive, independent authority and see that it has the political independence and resources to see a climate change policy through. The Authority should be answerable to the public for its decisions, not the Ministry. The Authority should be answerable to the public, not to the Minister of the day.
Once the Ministry (any Ministry) gets directly involved in the nitty-gritty, the whole issue gets politically tainted and we then get the useless partisan-political discussion as the one below and are none the wiser.
Joseph Cauchi
Aug 31st 2010, 12:23
Why are most of the commenters below attributing all this air-pollution solely to the extension of the new power-station?
Haven’t we thought that there could be other contributing factors apart just this extension?
Motor transportation is one of the main factors, so what shall we do, eliminate all vehicles from the roads? This would be ideal, but is it practical?
Another contributing factor is the Methane Gas that comes from animal live-stock such as cows when they belch and emit the air from the behind. Believe me, cows do belch and throw air at constant rate!
Experts estimate that one of the most contributor for air-pollution and Global Warming/Climate Change is the cause of animal live-stock and especially C O W S !
Check this link for more information: http://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/methane-cow.htm
So, if we are to embark on any campaigns against air-pollution, it would be wise if one considered ALL the factors and not just one single factor (e.g. power-stations)!
Let’s have CLEAN AIR, of course; but with SENSE!
JC.
l fenech
Aug 31st 2010, 04:54
Kollox jiddependi jekk iggibx lil-partit u il bwit l-ewwel jew is-sahha u gust.
M.Galea
Aug 31st 2010, 04:52
When it is a subject of such import to the nation, why is it that the whole documentsa are not published to the nation?
Joseph Cauchi
Aug 31st 2010, 00:02
If we are so concerned about pollution, then why are we just concentrating on the emissions of the power-station and not concentrating on the real cause of all this pollution and that is on all the motor vehicles that ply our roads which are the MAIN contributors for air pollution?
If we are so concerned about air pollution, have we thought that more air-pollution is caused by the belching and wind of COWS that emits methane gas and which is a major contributor to air pollution?
In fact, all the cows in Malta cause more air-pollution than the power stations in Marsa and Delimara put together!
So, let’s rid ourselves of all the cow-farms in Malta and thus we shall be saving ourselves of all that Methane Gas and have LESS POLLUTION!
Let’s start a campaign to ELIMINATE ALL THE COWS in Malta.
JC.
A. Calleja
Aug 31st 2010, 11:14
"In fact, all the cows in Malta cause more air-pollution than the power stations in Marsa and Delimara put together!"
Int trid ticcajta siehbi!! Jidhirlek li l-ammont ta' baqar li hawn f'Malta se jhalli dak l-effett! Mela hsibtek qed tghix l-Argentina!! Barra minn hekk, bl-argument tieghek nista neqirdu l-popolazzjoni Maltija ukoll... ghax tipproduci hafna gas li qed jhammeg l-atmosfera minn gol-kamra l-baxxa!
Sergio Caruana
Aug 31st 2010, 11:31
Joseph Cauchi remember how much EFA used to shout "money no problem"? So has it now become "problem no money"?
Joseph Cauchi
Aug 31st 2010, 11:38
@ A. Calleja,
Please have a look at this link http://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/methane-cow.htm and afterwards just google Cows Methane Gas and you can have more information if you kindly require, otherwise it would be much wiser if one looks before one leaps!
JC.
Dave Ciappara
Aug 31st 2010, 11:58
Joseph Cauchi Are you living in this galaxy Cauchi? DO you think that any country or government would want to have to rely on foreign suppliers for all its food needs? Come back to earth Cauchi and stop bringing excuses to defend your indefensible government qassatat.
Joe Borg
Aug 31st 2010, 12:00
Joseph Cauchi were you by any chance referring to the fat cows that have been milking the Maltese citizens of their money such as the PN government and the famous contractors who get all the tenders including those who receive commissions like the €4,000,000 one for the power station extension?
Edward Mallia
Aug 30th 2010, 23:41
The politicians seem to be producing a veritable 'minestra' in this business. Given the EU deadlines on Marsa closure, it did not matter a tinker's curse whether anyone changed the decision to go for gas. Natural gas was NEVER going to be available in time, a hard fact that seems to have escaped even M. Barnier, with his insistence on diesel powered generators against gas powered generators. The correct terms for the two technologies are piston engines and turbines --- IN OUR CASE THE SO-CALLED GAS TURBINE CAN ONLY USE DIESEL ( as all the gas turbines at Marsa and Delimara!!) at present. The piston engines can also use HFO.
On the other hand, the Resources Ministry statement that the biggest cut in greenhouse gases from electricity generation would NOT be obtained from the use of natural gas must be wrong. The Minister has a second Climate Change report, one NOT drawn up by his CCC but independently by the UNFCCC group. That report certainly concludes that natural gas-- were it available -- offers the best option for greenhouse gas cutbacks. If the Spiteri Gingell report says otherwise, then the Lahmeyer business was not his only gaffe.
Joseph Cauchi
Aug 30th 2010, 23:11
This whole question of the Power Station Saga boils to one thing and that is if the Maltese consumer is prepared to pay those extra 30% in the utility rates once the Israeli company Bateman’s offer is chosen, (of course according to the MLP's preferred option) or otherwise the option as decided by the government?
All this FUSS about the pollution is nothing more than SCARE-MONGERING!
The legitimate Maltese Government has decided on the BWSC option, so let it be!
Has the MLP got the courage to tell the people that by opting for the Israeli solution, We the People will be charged 30% EXTRA on our utility bills?
Please stop making this issue a political ball and let’s carry on with the extension of the power station for the benefit of all the Maltese Nation.
No more time to waste.
JC.
Darren J. Galea
Aug 30th 2010, 23:54
"All this FUSS about the pollution is nothing more than SCARE-MONGERING!"
Are you for real or is this a new genre of comedy? Desperate times call for desperate measures Heheh ;)
A. Calleja
Aug 31st 2010, 01:19
"This whole question of the Power Station Saga boils to one thing and that is if the Maltese consumer is prepared to pay those extra 30% in the utility rates..."
Cikku l-Poplu wants to know all the truth on how this will affect his health BEFORE how this will affect his pocket. Remember: Health cannot be bought with money!
Anthony Briffa
Aug 31st 2010, 08:00
Furthermore, the PL is failing to tell the electorate what would the capital investment in the required infrastructure to pipe and store gas be. The required, unless sourced from the "evil" EU would have to come out from the government budget, which means more taxes. The MLP/PL has never in its history embarked on any mega projects projects for the benefit of Malta and everytime something big is happening the panic in its quarters is tremendous and they resort to shout corruption. It had to be the PN in government to build hospitals , schools, a university, a new airport terminal, a new power station and now its extension, the ongoing city gate project, etc. And in all this manoeuvre to gain polital mileage, the PL failed also to mention who is the Maltese agent for the Izraelis. By the way I just remembered two white elephants, which the MLP constructed, namely the Red china Dock and the Marsa Ship Bulding.
Peter Korsten
Aug 31st 2010, 08:24
Do you have anything to substantiate that claim of 30%? Given that oil and gas prices fluctuate, it's a bit curious that you present this figure as if it were a fact, without providing a single shred of supporting evidence.
Salvinu Vella
Aug 31st 2010, 11:29
Anthony Briffa if you are ready to sacrifice yourself and your family because your Gonzi has chosen the most polluting HFO to scratch the back of friends and friends of friends we are NOT. Have you read about the large increase in cancer cases between 2004-2008 just published Briffa? This is what your Gonzi want to increase to get rid of more people before they reach pensionable age.
Anthony Briffa
Aug 31st 2010, 12:56
@ Salvinu Vella
Than the best thing to do is to revert back to candle light and avoid walking the streets which are full of pollution. If I were you I would start a campaign for people to scrap their cars and start using bycicles and horses as a means of transport. Like this we will have a pollution free environement.
The problem here is the political mileage that the PL is trying to gain from this project. The PL has nothing to offer and in the meantime is putting spokes in the wheels. In this whole affair there was nothing but scare mongering, mud slinging and threats of investigations by Dr Joseph if he will ever be returned to power, without telling us what he would have done to give give us a pollution free power station. Let us not be hasty like Dr Joseph and wait for the outcome from the exchange of correspondence between the EU and the goveernment.
Stephen Borg Cardona
Aug 30th 2010, 23:02
The whole power Station business stinks.
J.Tonna
Aug 30th 2010, 21:33
QED NIKKONFONDI LIL MIN SE NEMMEN!
Henry J Bonett
Aug 30th 2010, 21:13
By its statement the Ministry is doing itself more harm as it shows itself scraping pathetically at the bottom of its resources barrel. The Ministry must indeed consider itself to be in a very desperate position?
T Camilleri
Aug 30th 2010, 21:11
Resources Ministry you are so ARROGANT. Cleaner air with HFO? Go tell it to the marines Resources Ministry
JOe VELLa
Aug 30th 2010, 19:51
@ministry To whoever is concerned in this ministry answering Mr. Brincat. I saw fit and proper to answer Mr. Brincat statement as posted on the Times.com and thanked him for his endeavor, while I raised questions what I wished him to ask in parliament. This is becoming ridiculous, an issue of national importance where a penalty from the E.U. is hanging on us all we get a ministerial reply. Are we to assume it is not in our interest to know who to address? You do not have to blush, this country is a democratic country and we all have a duty to be accountable, be it a commoner or Mr. or Misters who wrote this statement. If a commoner is expected to write his name how much so is expected from this authority to know the author/authors so we know if we are playing on equal ground!
Adrian Wirth
Aug 30th 2010, 19:11
I agree with Robert Zammit. It can only be a tired and over the hill administration that can honestly believe they continue to have public credibility, whether the claims of corruption are true or not, Inuendo, implication and claimed evidence of corruption has not brought forth credible evidence from government indeed to the contrary. Whilst the opposition is in a position to bring forward more albeit thus far circumstantial evidence, then the public belief that the negotiations and award of this contract was not all above board, then those doubts will persist and harden to the administrations' inevitable cost at the next election, when citizens will be able to show just whom they believe. Instead of indulging in an internal internecine vendetta by an individual or individuals aimed at furthering the political ambitions of a particular clique in 'kristalnacht' like behaviour, they would do far better to concentrate on the bigger picture and their loss of public confidence whilst they still have an opportunity to do so.
tony abela
Aug 30th 2010, 19:10
Am I understanding correctly? Is the Ministry trying to convince the general public that Heavy Fuel Oil produced generation is better than Gas produced generation? You do not have to be a so called Expert who receives thousands of Euro as salaries or contract as consultant to know that Heavy Fuel Oil is the most polluting means of generation. Does the Ministry realize that with a simple every common person who has access to Internet can find out the true facts by a simple Google Search. Does the ministry expects a Thank You for deciding on Heavy Fuel Oil in preference to Gas?
abuhagiar
Aug 30th 2010, 21:56
Will we have higher electricity bill to pay or else to make it more simple which is most expensive Gas or Fuel oil because at the end of the day sorry to say so that's what counts.
M Pisani
Aug 30th 2010, 19:09
Get your facts right before you start throwing mud Leo Brincat!! Misskom tisthu tippruvaw tirbhu xi inch ta' simpatija fuq gideb sfaccat. I happen to be a close follower of our national Climate Change policy and what Leo Brincat today said is totally wrong and false!! Shame on you!!
Mario Galea
Aug 30th 2010, 19:46
@ Mr. M Pisani So according to YOU the climate will be OK ? We will not be affected this Heavy Fuel Oil Power Station? then read this: Benzo(a)pyrene is listed as a Class A carcinogen by the USEPA and is known to cause cancer in humans. To put these levels in perspective heavy oil contains more than 15 times the levels of Benzo (a) pyrene found in Kuwaiti crude oil and 73 times more Benzo(a)pyrene than No. 2 fuel oil. if you still cannot believe this then see here http://www.laohamutuk.org/Oil/Power/NTNHeavyOilMar09.pdf TRY TO GET THIS FACT STRAIGHT !!
Charles Zammit
Aug 30th 2010, 19:52
Mr. Pisani
You claim you are a follower of our national Climate Change policy. If Mr. Brincat has lied could you kindly illuminate us as to how the use of heavy fuel oil for our power station will improve the air quality as against a gas fired one?
Joe Busuttil
Aug 30th 2010, 21:06
So the opposition is aiming to hinder the gov.'s plan etc etc etc... Is this all you have to say you PN people? You amaze me. You PN apologists are in the same boat as us other citizens. You will breathe the same cancer causing air as we do and yet you try to paint your Gonzi PN as a savior. You will pay the penalty imposed on us by the EU if our govt. is found guilty as we will do through our taxes. And you accuse the PL of hindering operations to get a new power station going. Well,you leave me speechless.
T Camilleri
Aug 30th 2010, 21:14
M Pisani imissek tistħi int u il-gvern tiegħek Pisani. Ma tistħix tipprova tiddefendi lil Gvern ta' Gonzi li jrid imarradma aktar milli marradna s'issa billi juża l-HFO minflok diesel jew gass. Tant wicckom qgħad li lanqas għadkom tafu tistħu.
Michael Vella
Aug 30th 2010, 18:54
LOL Yeah right....pull the other one
Robert Zammit
Aug 30th 2010, 18:50
With all that has now come to light it is amazing that the ministry expects anyone to believe this ! Only the blind and stupid can ever believe it now ! I hope one day the truth will emerge and that those responsible will be brought to justice for trying to dupe the Maltese People.
Please choose the reason of your report below: