I refer to the editorial ‘Stateof the Environment’ (November 20).

The Environment and Resources Authority is addressing the editorial’s criticism that the ‘State of the Environment Report’ does not provide recommendations. It is being clarified that reports on the state of the environment are exactly that – a report providing a detailed account on the state that different environmental media are in. Thereby, it is, by design, that such reports provide trends, not recommendations.

The recommendations will be made in the new National Environment Strategy, which will follow the State of the Environment Report. The ERA’s job is to ensure that such recommendations and identification of priorities will be based on the best possible assessment of the available information and trends as identified in the State of the Environment Report. According to the Commissioner for Environment and Planning within the Office of the Ombudsman, this report is “factual and based on scientific evidence”.

This report forms part of the foundations that the ERA is laying in its endeavours towards honouring its mission statement – to safeguard the environment for a sustainable quality of life.

A report it will start publishing every four years, according to law.

We are fully aware that a healthy environment is the right of every citizen but it is his/her duty to safeguard as well. Thereby, while it is our duty to know where we stand and where we want to go, the ERA cannot act alone to deliver on this onerous mission statement.

In line with our philosophy to maintain consultation with stakeholders, the findings of the State of the Environment Report 2018 will be widely discussed during a two-day national conference at the end of this month entitled ‘State of Malta’s environment: trends & prospects’. During this conference, the ERA will be discussing the conclusions derived from the State of the Environment Report’s comprehensive analysis of seven years of data to guide the direction for future decisions that need to be taken by all actors in the field to singling out priorities that will shape our new National Environment Strategy for smart progress towards sustainability.