Josè Herrera, Minister For The Environment, Sustainable Development And Climate Change
Economic growth cannot be sustainable if it is achieved at the expense of environmental protection and social progress. The government’s aspirations are that, by 2050, Malta’s economic development will be geared towards a circular, low-carbon economy characterised by a longer economic life for resources as well as lower-emission characterised operations.
The Sustainable Development Vision 2050 provides the solid foundation for the development of a corresponding strategy that takes into account and considers other strategies being adopted in various sectors. Vision 2050 takes into consideration a wide spectrum of sectors. We envisage a radical transformation in the way waste is managed as well as a reduction in the consumption of natural resources to sustainable and fair levels.
A social commitment, which is at heart of this Vision, is the eradication of poverty and social exclusion in all its forms. The government will commit itself to focus on the creation of more and better-quality jobs that meet the needs of every individual in terms of pay, security and prospects. The government’s vision is to move towards a high-quality education system accessible to all.
As a government, we remain committed to continue on the path towards a more inclusive and sustainable future that satisfies our needs without jeopardising the prospects of future generations. It is critical to emphasise that we all need to look beyond our immediate future to achieve the far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society that are required.
My ministry is also looking into a long-term holistic sustainable vision for construction and demolition waste, which strategy is important to sustain the economic growth as part of our integrated long-term plans.
The government’s vision for 2050 is underpinned by a commitment “to provide a sustainable transport system which is efficient, inclusive, safe, integrated and reliable for people and freight, and which supports attractive urban, rural and coastal environments and communities where people want to live and work: now and in the future”.
This commitment is clearly defined in the National Strategy for Transport 2050 and the government, through the Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects, is already heavily investing resources to improve Malta’s infrastructure by improving the roads network and also implementing different initiatives to enhance transport’s environmental impact.
Apart from this investment, the government, towards the end of 2017, decided that a cut-off date for the importation and registration of conventionally-fuelled vehicles, as defined in the 2011 EU white paper on transport, needed to be established. This is similar to what other EU countries are doing with respect to the phasing out of conventionally-fuelled vehicles.
Michael Briguglio, Nationalist Party Candidate For European Elections
The Labour government is taking the easy route to economic growth: one that is based on the sale of passports, the importation of cheap labour and overdependence on construction projects. These methods are reflected in Malta’s high level of economic growth but people’s quality of life is being affected negatively in various other respects, from an increase in the cost of living to a deterioration of the environment.
Indeed, the situation on the ground in Malta confirms the paradox that while GDP may be increasing, the quality of life may be deteriorating. The sustainable development vision for 2050 published by the Church’s Environment Commission exemplifies this hypothesis. Official EU data shows us that Malta tops European levels of built-up areas and pollution. In the meantime, registration of cars keeps increasing, and government’s main mitigation measure is to widen roads. EU funding in this regard was obtained by the previous Nationalist administration. Surely, it can be used in a more sustainable manner than is currently the case by Labour. In the current scenario, it seems to be the case that Labour’s policies are based on electoral cycles, thus postponing today’s problems and irresponsibly handing them over to tomorrow’s administration and society.
For example, the upgrading of the Kappara junction ignored recommendations by stakeholders such as bicycle users, rendering it unsafe for cyclists and pedestrians. Subsequent projects by Infrastructure Malta are sidelining local councils, experts and civil society. Here one asks whether it is wise to focus entirely on satisfying the appetite for more cars and ignoring erstwhile modal shift methods such as an underground rail system. The fact that government is not even considering alternatives justifies the concerns of the Church Environment Commission. The same Commission also rightly points out that Malta is overdependent on construction projects. Again, these may inflate economic growth figures, but society is paying the cost of its negative impacts. People around Malta and Gozo are witnessing a deterioration of quality of life courtesy of dust and noise pollution, shadowing, uglification and crumbling infrastructure. Roads and pavements are being left in a very bad state. Urban sprawl is eating up green areas, and permits are not being subjected to proper analysis of their cumulative impacts.
In the meantime, Malta is crying out for a more sustainable vision, and the Nationalist Party promises to implement it. A vision that does not simply look at GDP growth rates but that also factors in people’s quality of life. One that balances economic, social and environmental considerations: Policymaking based on evidence, impact assessments and economic diversification rather than overdependence on quick fix methods.
Vicky Camilleri Haber, Democratic Party Member
The document speaks of an integrated approach aimed at benefiting from Malta’s potential in such a way that present usage does not jeopardise future generations from benefiting in equal measure. The country is heading in the opposite direction as the economy is being given priority at the price of destroying our environment – both urban and rural – and jeopardising the social cohesion we have long identified with as a nation.
The vague proposals fell short of addressing various crucial aspects undermining sustainability, among them the lack of a perception of the built environment as a means to promote mental and physical well-being and the dependence on private car use as the main means of transport.
The befitting reaction by the Church’s Environment Commission highlighted the necessary paradigm shift required as a nation to adopt a sustainable approach: where the environment and social well-being are prioritised over short-term economic gain. This is the opposite of the current mindset – both on a governmental level and in civil society – where anything is justified if it guarantees the reiterated ‘surplus’ or personal gain.
As the commission underlined, honesty is key in embarking on the challenge of adopting a sustainable lifestyle and in evaluating current practices said to be in line with a sustainable approach. For instance, statistically, usage of public transport has been on a steady increase. Nevertheless, there has been an alarming increase in the number of newly-registered vehicles, amounting to 28,000 last year alone.
One can, therefore, come to the preliminary conclusion that the increase in public transport usage is not indicative of a mind shift in the population that habitually uses private means to commute. Rather, it could be due to the steady increase of the foreign population in Malta that tends to hold a different approach to public transport – at least initially – as well as the increase in tourists throughout the year who, in the most part, also use public transport.
A sustainable vision is one that is holistic: traffic management cannot be perceived independent of the built environment because our habits are conditioned by our environment. Encouraging alternative modes of transportation would imply time-proven punctual, efficient and affordable means integrated within our urban framework. In the same way, we cannot implement greener means of energy production on a national scale while retaining an incentive-based approach when it comes to implementing energy-saving methods in building because, to date, there is no standardised regulation on the matter.
Beyond regulation, the approach to residential units is a utilitarian one, prioritising short-term profit over long-term well-being, an aspect the document failed to address.
This is a Times of Malta print opinion piece