Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1440009
NEWS 9 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 JANUARY 2022 4. Pope's visit Pope Francis will finally come to Malta after twice postponing his visit. The timing of the visit will depend on the election date and the pandemic. Francis will bring with him a message of compassion towards migrants, a bitter pill to swallow for many. His visit will also energise the anti-abortion voices at a time when the debate on the subject is picking up. 5. World Cup in Christmas World Cup 2022 in Qatar will be held between mid-November and mid-December to avoid the summer heat. For enthusiasts, watching footy with the Christmas tree flickering, and mulled wine instead of beer will be a strange feeling indeed. Qatar will put on a majestic show but the spotlight will also be cast on the poor con- ditions of migrant worker. 6. Steward's decision time The hospitals concession agree- ment granted to Vitals Global Healthcare in 2015 and inherited by Steward three years later has been an abject failure, a drain on public funds and hounded by corruption claims. In 2022, the Maltese government will have to conclude a new agreement with Steward, or make the tough call to end the deal while weighing the cost of ruffling American feathers. COVID 2021 was another year characterised by the COVID pandemic, which definitely meant leaving "normal" behind, at no little emotion- al, social, economic and psychological cost. Above all, it presented us with an opportu- nity to adapt and to challenge our creativity, individually, as a community, and as a nation. Necessity is the mother of invention - living through these pandemic years, pushed us to produce as many varieties of the proverbial lemonade from the acridest of lemons that COVID-19, variants et al, proved to be. As to my wish list for 2022, I would prefer to call it a to do list. First, 2022 is the opportune moment to effectively embark upon a pan- demic crisis recovery programme compatible with climate action to decarbonise human activity. Second, effectiveness of decarbonisa- tion strategies will depend upon sending the right message across to all. Building aware- ness through a structured dialogue is key. Human beings have progressed by learn- ing from their mistakes and through their achievements in times of crisis. The pandem- ic has tested everyone's resilience and so will climate change. If we are really keen to sup- port climate action, we must change our "be- havioural" practices, to ensure a resilient and sustainable planet. The pathway to decarbonisation as a key el- ement of sustainability, calls for integrity and perseverance. Many of the sectors that are the cornerstone of a national economy like en- ergy, transport, food production and supply chains are "essential". They require government support measures to ensure a just transition towards decarbon- isation. The buck does not stop there though. Non-governmental actors also have a piv- otal role to play. A just, g r e e n transition n e c e s s i - tates a be- havioural c h a n g e on the part of service providers, business operators and us all, as service users and consumers. Third, I wish for Malta to lead the decar- bonisation process among small island States. Like us, these nations are negligible contrib- utors to the problem and the most disadvan- taged in terms of impacts. Malta shares their geo physical realities and economies of scale. It has also the advantage of being an EU mem- ber State with a robust legal and policy frame- work on climate action. This endows us with a responsibility to sup- port other States, which share our realities. As micro island nations our challenges to de- carbonize are bigger because of the influence of external factors, over which we have no control, but we have the advantage of being a small community, which facilitates cross-sec- toral accessibility and solidarity that are in- strumental to ensure effectiveness. In this sense, Malta can team up with oth- er island nations to prove that decarbonisa- tion is key to economic, social and environ- mental well-being. Our major strength, the community-based approach, as we have seen throughout the pandemic and the rest of our nation's history, is crucial to adapt and build resilience to face unprecedented change. SIMONE BORG science, art, and society pen their earnest hopes for moves into its third full year Ambassador for Malta on Climate Action, Head of Environmental Law and Resources Law, Faculty of laws University of Malta Looking forward to decarbonisation