Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1307485
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 8 NOVEMBER 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTO BY JAMES BIANCHI Prime Minister Robert Abela is rumoured to be planning a ma- jor Cabinet reshuffle; and your transition from Labour MEP to local parliamentarian, at this stage, has raised expectations for a ministerial appointment. Am I right, in interpreting the topics you raised in your maid- en speech – 'climate change, the green economy, the blue economy, and industrial tran- sition': all areas you worked on as an MEP – as an indication of the portfolio you are hoping to land? At the end of the day, it is up to the Prime Minister to decide whether, or how, to distribute Cabinet ministerial portfolios. But more than anything else, I talked about those issues be- cause that is what I've been working on, as an MEP, for the past seven years. And I worked on them because I believe that that is the way forward at EU level: and also, at our country's level as well. I'm not one of those who preach one way in the EU; then another way back home. So if you're seeing the same line of thought, it's because – and this is one of the reasons I came back – I believe that, as a country, we can effect positive change. The Prime Minister has also spoken about his vision for the coming years: one of the things he talked about was the target to reach carbon neutrali- ty by 2050. It's not an easy task; but if we start planning towards it from today, it becomes doable. That is why I chose to talk about those topics; and also about the environment, also as source of economic and indus- trial opportunity… so that we can start preparing our children, and the future generations, from now… Nonetheless, the present gov- ernment is under fire over its handling of environmental issues. There is widespread concern about over-develop- ment; and the government's re- forms of the Planning Authority (among other things) seem to have only exacerbated exist- ing problems. Is your emphasis on environmental issues also a reflection of concern with envi- ronmental degradation under Robert Abela? I think it's only fair to say that, in the past few months, there has been marked progress as well. You can't change everything in a few months. But recently, I be- lieve there has been the will to start changing things. You mentioned development, for instance. As for myself, I try to see opportunities in all things: so when we speak about devel- opment, and the construction industry – and we hear everyday how important it is for the econ- omy; but we are still with the mentality that it works against the environment –I see it as an opportunity as well. And I'll tell you why. At present [the construction in- dustry] contributes around 40% of our greenhouse gas emissions; and there are a lot of things that can be done in that regard. If we introduce more energy-effi- ciency measures; implement the rules of the Energy Performance Building Directives; refitting, the renovation wave… these are all opportunities that could cre- ate more jobs; and open up new niches in the sector. At the same time, we would be helping to re- duce pollution… But the environmental impact goes far beyond greenhouse gas emissions alone. Over-de- velopment is also eating into precious, irreplaceable open space. Construction dust con- tributes to Malta having the highest rate of respiratory problems in Europe. It's all well and good to introduce those measures in future: but what do you propose to deal with the immediate concerns today? If I'm talking about these measures today, it is precisely because I don't want them to be introduced 'in the future'. I want to start working on them from now. And the work has, in fact, already started. Prof. Simone Borg, who heads the Climate Action Board, has con- vened a group of stakeholders; as an MEP representing the EU perspective, I was a member for the past few months… so I know that they will shortly be coming out with a number of proposals. Some of these proposals will be things that can be implemented immediately; others will have to be implemented over a longer time-frame. But that is what needs to be done. We cannot carry on talking only about what happens in the longer term; it has to be a mixture of both… At present, however, we are seeing neither any long-term plan; nor any immediate meas- ures… I acknowledge that things are not perfect. If they were per- fect, I probably wouldn't have come back at all. In fact, I came back precisely because I want to change things for the better… On that note: your return to Malta also coincides with re- cent polls indicating a noticea- I'm no 'Super Woman'… Raphael Vassallo rvassallo@mediatoday.com.mt Expectations of a major Cabinet portfolio for MIRIAM DALLI – who gave up a European Parliamentary seat to engage in local politics – are high. But what are her own expectations from this career-change?