Malta needs an environmental regulator that is independent of the planning authority, according to the Church Environment Commission.
We must elect representatives who will lead our country towards sustainable development
“This is necessary to ensure that… the environment and planning are given the attention and resources required to function in a way that is focused and efficient,” the commission said, stressing that it has held this position since March 2008.
The position is similar to a proposal the Labour party has just made to split the authority’s environment and planning functions. The Nationalist party is insisting that the two work better together.
The commission made its recommendation in one of a series of memoranda to the political parties issued by the Curia.
Turning to the subject of energy, the commission said efforts should be made to generate electricity that people could afford but investment should be made in fuels and alternative energy that guarantee good air quality.
Enemalta should be held accountable and regulated by a regulatory body, such as the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.
Human resources within Enemalta should be audited to ensure it is economically viable.
Coordinated efforts should be made for the production of clean energy.
The commission said a national policy was needed to ensure a healthy environment and promote sustainable development. It must be ensured that this policy was not fragmented across different authorities.
Any such policy should include an element of accountability so that anyone who suffered a drop in quality of life resulting from a bad decision would be entitled to compensation.
The commission also recommended widening the remit of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development so that it would start monitoring environmental resources and sustainable development.
The environment needed to be better monitored and this should not only be done to meet EU or other international obligations. One of the main aims of this should be the well-being of Maltese people.
The commission also spoke about the need for the better management of the rate of construction in villages and towns.
This research-based management should, among other things, address the conservation and use of Maltese stone, the enforcement of existing laws such as the energy performance of buildings and include schemes that would incentivise the use and restoration of abandoned property.
As for water, the commission said there was the urgent need to reinforce the law and draw up defined “water rights”.
There was the need for clear policies to safeguard this dwindling resource.
When it came to Gozo, more creative effort should be spent in trying to encourage people to live on the island.
The impact of any large project should be studied and local councils and NGOs assisted in ensuring this happened. There was also the need for a clear strategy for sustainable business development and the creation of a Gozo Enterprise to address the island’s particular needs.
The options of having a tunnel or bridge linking Malta and Gozo should he studied in their economic, social and ecological aspects. Other options should be looked into.
The commission also re-commended drawing up a national agricultural policy and a policy for the management of valleys as well as a national strategy for education on sustainable development.
“As citizens we must ensure that we elect representatives who we think will lead our country towards sustainable development where our environmental heritage – together with the economic and social aspects – are safeguarded,” the commission said.