Climate change ‘serious challenge’ for Malta

Climate change is the main challenge facing Malta’s environ­ment and needs to be taken seriously as it may have devastating consequences for the island’s future, according to an EU report out yesterday.

“Malta’s characteristics make the island especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, sea level rise and extreme weather events,” says the report by the European Environment Agency.

“Indeed, Malta is expected to suffer moderate impacts from climate change, mainly related to drought, deterioration of freshwater quality and availability, increased risk of floods, soil and coastal erosion, desertification, changes in sea level and biodiversity loss and degradation.”

With the whole of the population living in what can be classified as coastal areas, mostly in densely populated settlements, the challenge of climate change adaptation is a serious one for Malta, according to the EEA.

Its report is the second in a few days to underline the potential impact of climate change on Malta following last week’s World Wildlife Fund (WWF) tracker which gave the island a low mark for its preparations.

The EU’s Environment State and Outlook Report recognises that Malta has made huge strides in the environmental field over recent years, particularly through sub­s­tantial investments and new legislation since it joined the EU. While until a few years ago, the environment was not considered a priority, leading to serious and sometimes irreparable mistakes, Malta is investing heavily in environmental infrastructure and regulation.

“A new Environment Protection Act was enacted in 2001, under which some 250 pieces of subsidiary legislation had been passed by 2008. Some improvements, such as with respect to air pollution are also becoming apparent,” the report states.

It refers to measures being taken to tackle waste generation, energy use and transport while a more environment-conscious society is gradually investing in alternative sustainable solutions such as renewable energy sources, with the government covering a percentage of their capital cost.

However, transport remains one of two other major environmental problems facing the island, along with land use.

“Malta’s continued rise in vehicle numbers is a matter of concern due to the environmental and social impacts of private motor vehicle use...The high percentage of imports of older and more polluting second-hand vehicles is also of concern. The renewal of Malta’s car fleet with smaller and more efficient vehicles is urgently required and there is a need to make public transport alternatives at least as reliable and attractive as private car use.”

On the problem of land use, the report says that the continued movement of population from older urban areas around the main harbour into newer coastal settlements is a matter of concern “as it represents inefficient use of land and dwellings”

Malta, it says, is building far more homes than it needs. While the real demand for new dwellings currently stands at 2,000 units a year, in 2008, considered a bad year by the construction industry, permits were issued for nearly 7,000 dwellings.

At the same time, more and more old homes are being left abandoned. “The amount of housing permissions granted still heavily exceeds the annual increase in need of new dwellings. In parallel with these trends, the number of vacant homes in the islands has continued to rise.”

Resources Minister George Pullicino admitted last week the island had started late in adapting its policies to climate change but expressed optimism Malta would manage to reach EU climate change targets by the end of the decade. The country has a commitment to reduce green­house gas emissions, produce more renewable energy and cut transport consumption of fossil fuels.