Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday pledged that if re-elected he would take the reform of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority under his wing.
He laid out his party's proposals for the environment, which include turning Gozo into an eco island, at a press conference at Magħtab, the former rubbish "mountain", which he described as a symbol of the country's transformation.
Dr Gonzi said that now that the government had managed to get its finances on a sound footing it was time to turn to the environment and tackle two challenges: climate change and finding a balance between quality of life, safeguarding the environment and sustainable development.
He stressed the importance of looking at alternative energy, adding that it should not be considered a burden. The country needed to cut its dependency on imported oil, whose price was ever on the rise.
He refuted the suggestion that assuming responsibility for the reform of Mepa was a sign of mistrust in Environment Minister George Pullicino. The reform would aim to improve efficiency, increase transparency and accountability, cut down on inconsistencies in decisions and strengthen enforcement.
The Nationalist Party wanted to put the environment at the core of its policies and was committing itself to address the country's "environment deficit". Big challenges lay ahead but improving the environment meant improving the quality of life.
The electoral programme will include a number of proposals in favour of clean energy, which would require major investment and a change in mentality and lifestyle.
About €33 million (Lm14,166,900), from a total of €300 million (Lm128,790,000) in EU funds to be invested in the environment, would go into schemes encouraging clean energy use. Contacts had been made with a Scottish company and with the Scottish government regarding new technology for wind farms operating offshore at a depth of over 15 metres. The technology was at an advanced stage and was very interesting for Malta as it presented opportunities that were being studied.
Answering questions about spring hunting, Dr Gonzi reiterated that while the government would be standing by what had been agreed in the accession talks, it would respect the decisions of the European Court.
Over the past four years the government had embarked on the largest number of environmental projects ever carried out in Malta's history, including the closure of the Magħtab and Qortin landfills, the setting up of 200 bring-in sites and three facilities for separated bulky waste, the rehabilitation of the Sant'Antnin Material Recovery Facility and a new incinerator to treat waste from the hospital, the abattoir and industry, especially pharmaceutical. Dr Gonzi said the Labour Party seemed not to have realised that the new incinerator was in operation and it was still promising to close the old one.
Environment proposals
• A PN government would invest in offshore wind farms about 20 miles from the coast which would generate between 75 and 100 megawatts of clean energy, amounting to a fifth of what is being generated by the Marsa and Delimara power stations.
• It would extend substantially incentives for families and businesses to invest in clean energy generation and introduce more attractive rates when selling surplus clean energy to the national grid.
• A Nationalist government would introduce incentives for households to use more environmentally-acceptable products. One incentive includes giving each family 10 energy-saving bulbs over two years, which will save an average family about €200 (Lm85.86).
• Replacing the car registration tax in line with the polluter pays principle in order to address traffic congestion and reward those who buy environmentally-friendly vehicles.
• Turning Gozo into an ecological island - Eco Gozo - so that it becomes a model in sustainable development and environment protection. This would kick off with a pilot project in a Gozo village and then be extended to the whole island.