Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1039277
26 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 OCTOBER 2018 TRANSPORT & Environment is a green transport NGO working on EU and global level and advocating for sustaina- ble transport such as clean vehicles, fuels, aviation and shipping. We represent 58 environmental groups from across 26 European countries, and are based in Brussels at the heart of EU policy-mak- ing. Over the years we have worked with Miriam Dalli, MEP on much environ- mental legislation, including diesel emis- sions legislation following the Dieselgate scandal, the new Renewable Energy Di- rective and one of the main EU climate laws, the Climate Action Regulation. The latest work of MEP Dalli is on the future CO2 standards for cars and vans post-2020, where the Parliament under her lead scored a huge victory in the vote on 3 October in Strasbourg. Many could not imagine this outcome when Miriam Dalli was first announced as the lead MEP back in December 2017. "Who is this Maltese woman?" – "Surely, she won't be able to stand up to the strong car industry pressure!" And yet on 3 October Miriam Dalli managed to secure a comfortable ma- jority in favour of her ambitious pro- climate position described by the chief EU car lobbyist as "extremely aggressive" and that would "force the industry into a dramatic transformation". The Parliament's position, or the Dalli report, is a far cry from a toothless original Commission proposal. It requires a 20% CO2 cut from new cars and vans in 2025 and a 40% cut in 2030 (against the car industry's position of 20% in 2030). Crucially, it introduces a mechanism that would require carmakers to sell suf- ficient shares of zero emission vehicles, or face CO2 penalties. With Europe falling behind both China and America in sales of electric cars, this plenary vote is a clear signal to accelerate the shift towards clean mobility in Europe. More than a third of car sales would need to be zero emission in a decade, up from a few percentage points today. The plenary vote is a huge win for a politician coming from one of the small- est EU member states – Malta – the translation into which language is not always available at official Parliament meetings. Miriam Dalli managed not only to bring together her own Social- ist & Democrat political group amidst the trade unions pressure to keep with existing diesel production, but to also secure a Parliament-wide compromise bringing the left, centre and parts of the right political parties on board. What's more, the Maltese MEP withstood the pressure from the German conservative members and their pro-industry sup- porters, the EPP group. It is unheard of to agree over Europe's car laws without Germany on board, which continues to hold the whole continent to ransom over its failed diesel strategy. The Dieselgate scandal has of course helped to discredit the diesel credentials, but MEP Dalli's firm and competent defiance helped to sideline the German opposition. The Cars CO2 plenary vote is a big win against two of the biggest EU lobbies, the car and the oil industry. Dalli stood firm in the face of the unprecedented pressure from the diesel car and fuel industries, defying all of their amendments from including unviable synthetic fuels to exempting vans. Instead of making laws to help maximise today's profits, Miriam Dalli prioritised future European con- sumers and their health. In the face of billions of investment that EU carmakers today pour into EV production in China, the Maltese MEP pushed for a frame- work that would bring those investments and new jobs to Europe. Ultimately, the Dalli report – supported by a majority of MEPs from all political sides – supports a clean and prosperous future rather than focusing on the dirty diesel past. One Maltese vs the mighty diesel car industry Julia Poliscanova Julia Poliscanova works at the European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E) Successful inclusivity is different from inclusivity Evarist Bartolo Evarist Bartolo is Minister for Education and Employment IN 2012, an interesting study was undertaken by Jennifer Hunt, a Profes- sor of Economics at Rutgers University. The question was a simple one – what happens to native classmates when immigrant children are introduced into the classroom? Do they drag them down, do they cause them to excel more or is it a case of no negligible effect? The research didn't simply go into a broad generalisation but actually looked at different models being used in educa- tion systems. The result was as clear as it was predictable. If you have a proper process to introduce the immigrant child into the class, the results are posi- tive for all. What is a proper process and what do I mean by positive for all? A proper process is focused on educational attainment and language. Research and, let's face it, common sense tells us that if an immigrant child is thrown into the classroom without the linguistic skill-set to be able to fol- low along with his or her classmates then that child is at a huge disadvan- tage. This brings about a negative effect for all – the educator in class will have to spend more time with the child, or simply shut him or her down. Neither are good approaches. The educational attainment part seems to be more forgiving. If the child is close but not at the same level as his or her peers, there is a good chance they will catch-up but the point remains – they have to have a good grasp of the language to be able to do that. The net outcome of having proper processes and systems in place is posi- tive for all. Hunt's research indicates that when these children are introduced into class in a systematic manner, after going through language programmes and remedying educational deficien- cies, the result is positive both for the immigrant and natives. These are challenges that we're expe- riencing in Malta for the first time, but they are hardly new in the educational world. In the United States, a lot of work has been done on these themes due to Spanish-speaking children being introduced into English-speaking class- es and they've learnt from experience how to optimise that process. There is a mountain of research that we can learn from in order to adapt to new realities. In Malta, we have the wrong idea that if a child is in a mainstream classroom we ought to celebrate that because of some inclusion principle. That is completely misleading. If we have the well-being of a child truly at heart we do what is best for that individual, not what makes us feel good. In some cases, yes, that means a focused educational programme that, in this scenario, tack- les language and attainment shortcom- ings. That child can catch up quickly, and join his or her classmates and learn even more things. How can you truly ask a child to learn about phys- ics, biology and literature if they don't have at least a moderate understanding of the language the subjects are being taught in? It's not about inclusivity for inclusivity's sake. The only inclusivity we ought to be interested in is success- ful inclusivity – one where both the child and the rest of the classmates are better off. In the inclusivity at all costs scenario both sides lose. The worst thing we can do as politi- cians is shy away from these discus- sions. Whenever immigration is men- tioned, people in political circles tend to freeze up, like they're in court, to make sure what they say is within the cold and hot parameters. But the realities on the ground are begging us for simple solutions that can turn what could be a negative into a positive. These are the challenges we often refer to, and which educators rightly tell us make things more difficult and complicated. As policymakers it is our job to create the right programmes to fit the needs of schools and teachers. Brussels at the heart of EU policy-mak- ing. The latest work of MEP Dalli is on the future CO2 standards for cars and vans post-2020, where the Parliament under her lead scored a huge victory in the vote on 3 October in Strasbourg. Many could not imagine this outcome when Miriam Dalli was first announced as the lead MEP back in December 2017. "Who is this Maltese woman?" – "Surely, she won't be able to stand up to the strong car industry pressure!" And yet on 3 October Miriam Dalli managed to secure a comfortable ma- jority in favour of her ambitious pro- climate position described by the chief EU car lobbyist as "extremely aggressive" and that would "force the industry into a dramatic transformation". The Parliament's position, or the Dalli report, is a far cry from a toothless original Commission proposal. It requires a