In the wake of Moviment Graffiti's symbolic protest on Monday, Speaker Louis Galea said people should "rejoice" at the idea that there were young people concerned about climate change.

Addressing a conference of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean ahead of next month's Copenhagen climate change summit, Dr Galea said young people wanted real action to prevent climate change, rather than a reaction to it.

The movement staged its Less Talk, More Action protest outside the Corinthia San Ġorġ Hotel in St Julians where the conference was held over two days. The demonstrators urged political leaders to take action rather than just discuss climate change issues.

Dr Galea lamented the poor progress made in 10 years since the Kyoto Treaty was initially adopted by most of the world and highlighted the movement's fears that the forthcoming Copenhagen conference would amount to just more hot air unless appropriate action was taken.

He said: "A group of Maltese youths seconded the initiative of this conference by holding a demonstration outside the venue calling to replace words with real action to counter climate change. Less talk, more action, they are insisting. Let us heed their appeal. It is our obligation to bequeath future generations a planet earth that would still be the most beautiful planet in the Universe."