More than 60 Maltese scientists and scholars issued a statement on Thursday to point out the consequences of inadequate action regarding climate change.
The business as usual scenarios for climate, biodiversity, forest, marine, and soil protection were far from sufficient, they said, adding that only with quick and consistent action could global warming be limited, halting the mass extinction of animal and plant species, preserving the natural basis for life and creating a future worth living for present and future generations.
The scholars said that, in Malta, young people have been urging politicians to take serious action about climate change since 2008.
However, neither necessary scale nor speed were being achieved in the restructuring of the energy, food, agriculture, resource, and mobility sectors.
Malta, they said, would fail to meet the climate protection targets it had set for itself for 2020.
While participation and discussion had to continue, action had to be taken now. Many social and technological innovations already existed which could maintain quality of life and improve human health and well-being without destroying natural resources.
Young people were reminding politicians, in particular, of their responsibility to create the necessary framework to ensure this change happened now – even if it meant being unpopular in the short term.
CO2 prices, cessation of subsidies for climate-damaging actions and products, effective education campaigns, efficiency regulations supported by research and evidence, and social innovations had to be fostered - rather than short-term and one-sided economic interests.
“We must urgently and drastically reduce our net CO2 emissions. With new courage and the necessary speed, we must introduce renewable energy sources, consistently implement energy-saving measures, fundamentally change our patterns of nutrition, mobility, consumption and production. A socially balanced distribution of the costs and benefits of change is essential.”
They pointed out that the enormous mobilisation of the 'Fridays for Future/Climate Strike' movement showed that young people looked at the scientific facts and understood the situation, and were now demanding politicians to do likewise.
“As scientists and scholars, we emphatically approve their demand for rapid and forceful action,” they said.