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MALTATODAY 27 March 2022

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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 MARCH 2022 OPINION 3 LETTERS & EDITORIAL maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 MARCH 2022 Mikiel Galea Letters & Clarifications Electric cars: not the future but part of it IN May 2011, the government of the day published the National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP), in which it proposed the introduction of ethanol in the local fuel market. According to Table 12, ethanol was expected to be introduced at 1.75% in 2010 and reaching 5.79% by 2020. With the change in government in 2013, this plan was changed and etha- nol was never introduced in Malta. It is clear that all the talk about re- ducing air pollution is simply lip ser- vice. If the authorities really wanted to reduce air pollution they would have introduced ethanol on the local market seveal years ago. The United Kingdom introduced E10 – petrol blended with 10% ethanol last September. E5 – petrol blended with 5% ethanol – had been available in the UK for a number of years. The amount of biofuel in petrol in EU Member States varies. There are 12 EU Member States where some amount of biofuel is available. These are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The amount of biofuel in these countries varies between 3.2% and 10%. Valerie Corre, the Vice President of the European Renewable Energy As- sociation, ePure, has claimed that all sustainable solutions available should be taken into consideration when dis- cussing the decarbonisation of Europe- an transport. The electric vehicle is not the future, it's part of the future, just like bioetha- nol and hydrogen, Corre claimed. We need to diversify, to avoid past mistakes by relying on just one solution, she added. It is remarkable that our politicians do not seem to be aware of the advan- tages of ethanol! Is it possible that our prospective ministers for the environ- ment, for energy and for transport have not read about ethanol? Eventually, some of our farmers may also cultivate crops to produce ethanol in Malta, thereby reducing our fuel import bill! In motorsports, Formula E, for elec- tric single-seater racing cars, is gaining popularity. But Formula 1 is developing a fuel that does not cause air pollution. While more electric vehicles are ap- pearing on our roads, it is likely that vehicles with an internal combustion engine are not going to disappear any- time soon. Alfred A. Farrugia Malta Automobile Club What can save the world FIRST of all, I can unleash two quota- tions which contradict J. Guillaumier's (20 March, 2022) out of context cita- tions: "Hell (God's greatest anger) is God's greatest compliment to the real- ity of human freedom and the dignity of human choice." (G.K.Chesterton) – an invitation to change one's attitude towards God's laws. "But you, O Lord, are a compas- sionate and loving God, slow to anger, abounding in graciousness and faithful- ness." (King David) "Suffering and God's anger's distribu- tion and degree appear to be extremely random and therefore unfair. Sensitive spirits ask if it can possibly be recon- ciled with God's justice and love." (John Stott, theologian) Lee Strobel, a former atheist turned pastor of an Evangelical Church and a prolific author, in his book 'The case for Christ', turns his tenacious investigative skills to this problem and seven other most persistent emotional objections to solid belief. There's no question that the existence of evil, suffering and God's anger (J.G.'s version) are all arguments against God. But in one of his books, Strobel summa- rised 20 arguments that point persua- sively in the other direction. Faith is active, it demands response (another invitation to convert). Unlike reason, which bows down faithfully to the evidence, faith must not be preju- diced. As the soldiers say: "There are no atheists in foxholes under fire." If faith can offer consolation and hope, why not try it? In a world of darkness, faith can help a troubled soul. John R.W. Stott, already quoted above, wrote exquisite poetry about the poignant efficacy and drama of the cross of Christ which illustrates that it is God's only self-justification in such a broken world as ours, and that faith is needed as much as the reality of Christ. John Azzopardi Zabbar

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