Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1312765
14 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 25 NOVEMBER 2020 COMMERCIAL WHATEVER the project or goal, suc- cessful implementation relies on a critical ingredient: strategic vision. Then comes detailed planning and evaluation of sub- mitted planning proposals, but everything must begin with robust direction. Malta's Strategic Plan for Environment and De- velopment (SPED) was enacted in 2015 to serve this purpose. It is the country's jumping-off point for long-term sustain- able development and environmental protection when zoning land and marine space for future use. Michelle Borg, Green and Blue Develop- ment Unit Manager at Malta's Planning Authority (PA), believes that renewed commitment to the SPED's strategic ob- jectives is crucial, particularly in terms of Malta's physical capacity. "Big-picture planning can be tricky to get one's head around, particularly when multiple play- ers are pushing their respective ambi- tions, but it certainly matters," says Ms Borg. "Effective spatial planning seeks to bal- ance future socio-economic needs based on population projections and sectoral policies with the need to maintain good environmental quality, including protec- tion of natural resources and biodiversi- ty. It is key to specific, incremental and sustainable success. The Structure Plan of 1992 provided a turnaround in stra- tegic policy making for land use. Over the years other detailed plans and poli- cies were approved to guide diversified economic growth, social well being and stronger environmental safeguards by different entities. The challenges of the Maltese Islands, twenty years later, were very different from the early 1990s and this demanded a new strategic direction to guide Malta's use of its space." The SPED therefore identifies links be- tween Malta's urban development and environmental issues. It recognises that the fact that national ambitions for eco- nomic growth do not always consider the resulting implications on the envi- ronment and asserts that "sustainable development necessitates a shift whereby development gradually works with and safeguards the environment and the nat- ural resources it requires." "The pressing environmental issues pinpointed in the SPED largely relate to having a dense population within a small land territory," continues Ms Borg. "Un- sustainable consumption and a lack of awareness of the connections between our socio-economic activities and envi- ronmental processes threaten the quality of our lives and natural surroundings. "In 2015, we linked the issue of waste management to the lack of uptake in waste separation and resulting increased demand for landfills, which places a strain on physical space. Malta's air qual- ity was – and remains – of concern. Be- sides traffic and energy generation, plan- ners acknowledged that streetscapes with tall buildings could lead to localised can- yon effect where emissions can remain trapped, so the idea of increasing urban open spaces as green lungs was pursued. We also pushed for the rural area to be primarily used for agriculture and infor- mal recreation." "What's more, the first Water Catch- ment Management Plan at the time illus- trated that Malta's freshwater resources are limited and threatened by over-ab- straction and nitrate pollution. We ad- vocated for increased rainwater harvest- ing, stormwater capture and reduced soil sealing, which would support natural re- charge of our aquifers. This is how SPED incorporated sectoral issues within an overarching national spatial framework." Targeting Malta's environmental issues, the SPED outlines three environmental objectives to guide spatial planning pol- icies and decisions. Firstly, safeguarding Malta's environment from pollution and the use of chemicals is paramount. Sec- ondly, the efficient use of resources is associated specifically with stone, water and soil, as well as waste management that protects environmental processes and minimises impact on cultural herit- age, landscape and human health. Finally, it also gives direction for preserving and enhancing our biodiversity and geology. "The SPED, however, is just the be- ginning. These concepts must then be explicitly included in subsidiary plans, policies, and taken up when assessing de- velopment proposals," explains Ms Borg. "There remains a gap between the SPED's philosophy and the reality on the ground in many respects. Whether it's the use of green infrastructure, pushing for more efficient use of the same space by differ- ent users to reduce demand for more land take or questioning the need for further excavations that generate tons of con- struction and demolition waste, consol- idated action towards implementing our national spatial strategy for environmen- tal protection can be improved – but only with commitment from many different parties." Mindful that the issues of 2015 are just as relevant today, Ms Borg believes that each Maltese resident holds the power to trigger collective effort. "The SPED is a tool that is open for the public to read and use," Ms Borg stresses. "As the plan reaches its five-year revision, this is the time for the public to get involved in so- lidifying our strategic direction through the PA's public consultation process. The revised SPED will influence other plan- ning policies and eventual PA application assessments, so the time for the public to sway its direction is now." Malta's Strategic Plan for Environment and Development can be accessed via: https://www.pa.org.mt/strategic-plan Make a difference to Malta's environmental sustainability Quite often, sustainability initiatives fail to garner public interest or involvement until they become fodder for critique. To empower the public to get involved in Malta's Strategic Plan for Environment and Development (SPED), Michelle Borg from the Planning Authority discusses why this is crucial to safeguarding Malta's environment