Maltese are “the most worried” EU citizens when it comes to the impact of “urbanisation” on the environment, according to a recent survey.

However, despite growing concerns and daily reports of new developments sprouting across the island, the majority of those interviewed still felt the government was doing enough to protect their surroundings.

According to the findings of a Eurobarometer survey published in Brussels, the Maltese perceive air pollution, increasing waste generation and urbanisation as the most taxing environmental problems.

Compared to the rest of the EU, urban problems are most highlighted in Malta, with 46 per cent of those surveyed complaining about traffic jams, lack of green spaces and overdevelopment.

The survey of 500 people also shows that while, in 2011, three out of every four surveyed had said they were trying to cut water and energy consumption to protect the environment while reducing their bills, the number adopting the same measure shrunk by 10 per cent last May.

More on Times of Malta.