Malta has achieved many positive results in several sectors, Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco said on Monday introducing the debate on Mepa's report on the state of the environment for 2008.
It had been reported that 99 per cent of Malta's swimming areas conformed to EU standards, which was much better than earlier reports. In other countries, only 95 per cent of swimming areas conformed to standards.
Part of the result was attributable to better monitoring and enhancement of the sewage system by the Water Services Corporation, which were set to continue. Between 2004 and 2008 Malta had spent over €100 million to treat liquid waste which previously used to go into the sea. By the end of the year sewage would be treated 100 per cent.
Dr de Marco said that average emissions in 2008 had decreased by 10 per cent from 2004. Emissions of greenhouse gases had been reduced by 18 per cent between 1990 and 2007, and by 10 per cent between 2004 and 2008. Three times more trees had been planted between 2004 and 2007, and agricultural land had increased by 60 per cent.
The existence of 12 environmental infringements by Malta meant a great improvement from the 26 in 2007. Efforts were ongoing to limit administrative infringements through more efficient steps. Most infringements concerned implementation, but this must be taken in the context that there were 200 directives with about 2,000 obligations.
Malta was not so different from other EU member states. Against the EU average of 17 per cent of species of community interest enjoying a favourable status of protection, Malta had 20 per cent. Against the EU average of 52 per cent unfavourable, Malta had 44.
Dr de Marco said the government had already said it was planning to draft a national environment policy to provide guidance for all environmental sectors, integrate all their efforts, create synergies and reduce conflict between sectors. So far Malta had been guided by EU environmental directives, but Malta wanted to do better and more and make up its own directives.
The policy would be comprehensive of all possible aspects, and would be led by the Tourism and Sustainable Development Unit at the Office of the Prime Minister. Its drafting would include reviews of the environmental policies of other countries. This analysis would help to clear Malta's problems and propose policy options to address them. The government wanted to ensure the best possible analytical process not only by its own people but also by those who could contribute significantly.
Selected people had already been sounded about their interest, and all had replied positively. The final draft of the document would be submitted for public consultation.
Dr de Marco thanked opposition spokesman Leo Brincat, who had fully supported the Environment Report as soon as it had been published and pledged to work with the government. He had seen the government's commitment to achieve all its obligations for the fullest possible benefit of the environment in Malta, turning challenges into opportunities.
The Employment and Training Corporation was making progress with the creation of green jobs, and the environment policy would see how to transform all opportunities.
The policy would also look closely at the construction sector, such as whether or not to go for high-rise buildings, why and where. It would cover up to 2020, and the government was inviting the opposition to show interest and be active in the policy's formulation.
The environment was an absolute priority, and the government's heavy investment in the sector, up 50 per cent to more than €30 million, proved this. Much of the investment would go into the areas of energy, public transport and technical waste.
Dr de Marco said that as part of Mepa reform the government would highly increase the workforce in Environment Directorate. It was unfortunate that in some media, development took up more space than the extensive work done in protecting the environment.
The directorate would be strengthened with 45 more people, dedicated to better regulation of air, waste management and water systems. There would also be a Directorate of Enforcement because it would be meaningless to issue regulations without enforcing them. Mepa would be spending almost €5 million to enhance the monitoring of the environment, among other activities. Co-financed by the ERDF, the monitoring would initially focus on air, water, radiation and soil, among other areas.
Concluding, Dr de Marco said that Malta today was addressing situations resulting from the past up to 40 years ago. Those decisions had made sense then, but today were leaving impacts that could possibly be negative. Many people now emphasised that when taking decisions on the environment and ancillary considerations one must consider the impact of those decisions on future generations.
The first part of Dr de Marco's speech was carried yesterday.