The announcement of the Maltese government to replace the car registration tax with an environmentally friendly levy is a giant step for Maltese politics!
But to make it an effective environmental instrument based on the "polluter-pays" principle it is not enough to simply have polluting cars pay a higher levy. It would be more effective to restrict polluting cars in certain areas and at certain hours of the day.
Large cars big in engine and/or body and thus polluting more have little use in tiny Malta, besides being a sign of bad taste and environmental irresponsibility. They also use more fossil energy, road space and take up more parking space, thus in our limited parking areas restrict other users.
A higher tax on consumption of fossil energy, like the present tax on petrol and diesel, will not keep those affluent with larger cars off the road. It will be similar for a higher annual road tax or registration tax.
If the use of a polluting car were to be geographically restricted, e.g. no entry to Valletta, Sliema or other densely populated areas, together with a time restriction e.g. entry only during certain hours, the use of a polluting car would become less attractive for the owner.
In order to limit the total CO2 emissions for the whole of Malta, it would be necessary to install a distribution system for fossil energy of say 500 litres per person/per year (the same has been suggested by the Swiss Academy of Science), however, it is doubtful if the political courage to take these drastic measures would emerge. To make things perfect a "no exemptions rule" should apply.
Malta is not alone in punishing heavy polluters: City officials in Edinburgh, Scotland, are considering a plan that would base parking permit prices on carbon dioxide emissions. The town of Norwich (UK) plans to charge higher parking charges to drivers with bigger cars.
But it would encourage the use of hybrid and smaller cars, which is just what Malta needs.
As Tonio Fenech has stated "we need to see a shift towards fewer polluting cars".