maltatoday | SUNDAY • 13 FEBRUARY 2022
15
COMMERCIAL
Infrastructure in Malta?
diversity, while enjoying bet-
ter insulation inside the home
throughout the year and boost-
ing the wellbeing of the whole
community. Likewise, if more
individual homes, business hubs
and public buildings incorporate
more greenery, the whole local-
ity becomes more attractive for
residents and visitors alike, and
may even raise property prices."
Integrating the views of the
population and other stakehold-
ers, specific elements of GI al-
ready feature in national policies
and strategic documents such
as the National Environment
Policy (NEP), Malta's National
Biodiversity Strategy and Action
Plan (NBSAP) and the Strategic
Plan for the Environment and
Development (SPED). However,
Ms Borg explains that GI needs
further development to sow the
seeds of a greener future in Mal-
ta. "To increase the uptake of GI
in Malta we need projects across
the island to actively incorporate
it into their design, not merely
to provide greenery for its own
sake, but as an alternative op-
tion to support the operation of
a project in terms of energy ef-
ficiency, water management and
even in support of improving the
neighbourhood's amenity val-
ue. The pandemic gave us all a
greater appreciation for the out-
doors, so now is the ideal time
to bring nature closer to home,
however we can. We must chal-
lenge a culture that merely rec-
ognises the value of land for its
development potential and work
together towards greener urban
spaces, where both humans and
nature can thrive in collabora-
tion for many years to come,"
Ms Borg concludes.
More information about Green
Infrastructure and how you can
green your space can be accessed
via https://era.org.mt/investing-
in-the-multi-functionality-of-
green-infrastructure-gi-an-
information-document-to-
support-gi-thinking-in-malta/
