Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1401709
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 15 AUGUST 2021 INTERVIEW It is action – not social media The IPCC climate change report, published this week, has been described as a 'code red for humanity'. The implications for Malta are severe: intense heat- waves, water shortages, deser- tification, rising sea-levels, etc. And yet, as Malta's Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Planning, you have not so far publicly responded to this report at all. Can you do so now? What is your reaction to this report? The responses have so far been homogenous, and based on the narrative that the repercussions of climate change are with us, and that we need to work harder on a global level to safeguard fu- ture generations. But I prefer to respond through the work we are doing rather than a social media post. For the past year and a half we have been working on an ambitious strate- gic plan which will help us reach our international goals. The draft Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) was agreed up- on at cabinet level, its tangible measures are costed, and we know that it will lead us to our 2030 targets and subsequently our target for Malta to become carbon neutral by 2050… a num- ber of measures within the seven sectors are already being imple- mented. That is my response. I am cognisant of the fact that information and awareness on the topic, and what we are do- ing, is also important. To this end, the first national climate campaign, ClimateOn, was launched a few months ago by my ministry and is currently on- going; and also reaping results. As announced earlier this year, this campaign will culminate in a national conference on climate before COP26. In the past months, we were al- so active participants in negoti- ations with the European Com- mission and other EU Member States on the Fit for 55 Package. We agreed that we need to act with urgency, which is why we will collectively work to decrease emissions by 55% instead of the original aim of 40%. Government is placing climate change on top of its agenda. Not with empty talk, but with action. We decided to dedicate half of the Resilience and Recovery Fund, around €350 million, to reach our climate goals. This is why today we are prepared for COP26 with a sound plan that is implementable. After all, this is a global fight and requires global unity and common front to take action. This report is published in a timely manner, ahead of the COP, providing strengthened scientific evidence of the action committed in Paris in 2015 to submit nationally determined contributions, long-term strat- egies moving towards carbon neutrality and climate finance. Energy Minister Miriam Dalli has just announced that Malta will be requesting special ex- emptions in negotiations for the EU's Green Deal: specifi- cally, regarding a kerosene tax on shipping. And yet, Malta's shipping registry is the largest in Europe; and the sixth largest in the world. A 2017 ICCT report even stated that "six flag states (Panama, China, Liberia, Mar- shall Islands, Singapore, and Malta) account for 52% of CO2 emissions." How can such ex- ceptions be justified, from an environmental point of view? Measures and economic in- struments for the maritime ship- ping sector are a new element in the Fit for 55 Package, which is a set of legislative instruments aimed at reducing GHG emis- sions and improving energy-effi- ciency across economic sectors. Hence, proposed measures targeting the shipping industry would need to be assessed within the holistic framework being un- dertaken by the European Com- mission, which assured that no one would be left behind. Malta is the lowest emitter per capita from all EU Member States, and we're already facing challenges in reaching our targets. Given the importance of the maritime sector for Malta's economy and livelihood, regardless of the size of its flag-state, we will be as- sessing this and other related proposals and put forward our position in all relevant fora ac- cordingly in order to ensure that there are no socio-economic impacts and that indeed this is a just transition. Meanwhile, a local climate change expert has criticised you for ignoring the climate emer- gency, and instead "showcas- ing some mostly unsustainable roundabout examples, which require excessive amounts of water to maintain". Doesn't he have a point, that this amounts to a form of 'greenwashing'? On the contrary, we have con- tinued efforts towards reducing climate emissions despite the pandemic, which has had a sig- nificant negative impact on gov- ernment finances. Despite these challenges Government has, budget after budget, committed delivery of measures on the ground – as per climate emergency declaration -including afforestation projects and with a record number of trees planted, more open spaces that promote alternative mo- bility, urban greening projects, Green Your Life and Grey to Green schemes; as well as green Environment, Climate Change and Planning Minister AARON FARRUGIA rebuts accusations of 'inaction' on Malta major environmental challenges: arguing that his ministry's work speaks louder than Facebook posts Raphael Vassallo rvassallo@mediatoday.com.mt JAMES BIANCHI