Malta has registered the second highest increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, according to a new European report.
While expressing satisfaction with the island's efforts to reach its 2020 emissions-reduction targets by introducing new electricity production facilities, the European Environmental Agency, which drew up the report, thinks more should be done to curb emissions from traffic.
Between 1990 and 2008, emissions in Malta rose by a whopping 44.2 per cent, second only to Cyprus at 93.9 per cent. In sharp contrast, the EU as a whole managed to cut emissions down by 11.3 per cent.
Under the UN's Kyoto Protocol, the EU member states that joined in 2004 or later must reduce emissions to an average of eight per cent below the 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012.
The exceptions are Cyprus and Malta, which do not have 2012 targets because they did not form part of the Kyoto protocol. Malta's target date, however, is 2020, by when it will have to cut emissions by five per cent compared to 1990.
In 2008, Malta produced three million tonnes of greenhouse gases against 2.4 million tonnes in 1990, according to the data. Nine other member states increased their emissions over the last 18 years.
"Malta and Cyprus are the most problematic member states so far because they are still rapidly increasing their emissions, even though they have no targets to reach until 2012," an EEA official said.
"Although next to the bigger member states Malta's emissions are insignificant in terms of climate change, the island must still ensure to start reducing emissions if it wants to achieve its 2020 targets," he said.
"Malta is taking action and we believe the island will be able to meet its targets on time, particularly through the use of more sophisticated electricity production facilities. However, more should be done on the land transport side because we think emissions from traffic are still not being tackled adequately."
The EU as a whole is committed to cutting emissions by at least 20 per cent by 2020 compared to 1990, and by 80-95 per cent by 2050.
Climate Change Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said in Brussels yesterday that with negotiations on a global climate agreement for the post-2012 era continuing, showing that Europe was able to deliver on its commitments under Kyoto was of paramount importance.
"The significant emission decreases we have achieved over the past five years clearly illustrate the value of binding targets. The 2008 reductions were not only due to the financial crisis but are also the result of the many ambitious policies the EU and its member states have implemented over the years, the effects of which are becoming increasingly apparent."