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MATTHEW VELLA mvella@mediatoday.com.mt 8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 11 FEBRUARY 2024 NEWS A new Climate Action Authority will be obliged to monitor gov- ernment actions and obligations to reduce carbon emissions, while acting as a science-based advisory body to ensure climate neutrality targets are met. The authority – financed by a budgetary vote of €1.75 million – will be tasked to implement climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, monitoring their impact and coordinate pro- posals with both public and pri- vate entities, and regulate decar- bonisation targets and a Climate Action Fund. Energy and environment minis- ter Miriam Dalli opened a debate in the House of Representatives this week upon tabling the legis- lation. Among its responsibilities will be implementing European cli- mate law and policies, as well as having an independent, national climate action council. The coun- cil will group climate experts on science, public policy, finance, the economy and social fields, who will report annually on climate action progress to the ministry. The CAA will replace what to- day is known as the Malta Re- sources Authority. "We will support communities in the necessary environmental transition, without adopting a policy of impositions or punish- ment. We want this green transi- tion to be one of collective com- mitment, and support society to alleviate the damage done to this world in the past, and leave the country a better place than when we found it," Dalli told the House this week. Dalli said that in curbing emis- sions and take measures by which the community will have to adapt to the consequences of climate change, a change in the way peo- ple live will be necessary. "This ecological transition is part of our country's path towards a more sustainable future... the international reports of the Inter- governmental Panel on Climate Change show how the impact of climate change is becoming in- creasingly evident and drastic." As a party to the 2015 Paris Agreement, Malta has to sub- mit plans on how it will achieve climate neutrality every five years. "The coming years are game-changers because all coun- tries need to reduce their emis- sions as soon as possible," Dalli said, who says climate action will also deliver cleaner air, sustaina- ble agriculture, and more green spaces and cleaner seas. "To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we need to invest to have more sources of alternative energy. This government's vision is decarbonisation and green tran- sition, and it is one of the pillars of our country's economic vision." The Climate Action Authority will coordinate national strat- egies to tackle climate change by bringing together experts, stakeholders, and policymakers to shape climate action with evi- dence-based and research-based initiatives. "Our intention is for this author- ity to actively involve citizens, civil society organisations, and the pri- vate sector in the decision-mak- ing process, while ensuring that we also take into account differ- ent perspectives," Dalli said. Ongoing decarbonisation Dalli said decarbonisation was crucial for Malta as a group of small islands with greater risks of experiencing the major con- sequences of climate change. "In this respect the government is drawing up a plan on how best to meet these impacts, how to identify risks according to what science is indicating, and how we can benefit from new opportuni- ties." She said the key challenges from climate change wold affect tour- ism, the economy, farming, ener- gy and water demand, and public services buckling under rising temperatures and longer heat- waves, as well as the impact on marine life and biodiversity. For the first time in recent his- tory, Malta experienced 10 con- secutive days of a heatwave with temperatures reaching 42.7 de- grees Celsius. "Never before have we had a heatwave of this kind," Dalli said. "With this phenome- non, we have seen a much greater and more negative impact while energy demand increasing faster than predicted." The percentage of renewable sources in Malta today accounts for 13.4% as opposed to less than 2% of all sources back in 2013. Be- fore 2013, renewable energy sys- tems accounted for some 10MW in generation. Today these total 230MW, and up to 800MW when added with clean energy generat- ed by the Delimara plants and the Malta-Sicily interconnector. "We want this energy mix to be further diversified. Expected peak energy demand in 2030 was reached last year – seven years ahead of what was foreseen, with record demand of 663MW regis- tered in July." Dalli said the government will invest in a 50MW offshore renew- able energy source – a floating solar farm. Some 64 submissions have been filed with the ministry in response to a call for offers. She said the share of renewable energies in Malta's energy mix was increasing every year, togeth- er with a second subsea cable to Sicily, and a strengthening of the electricity distribution network. The government will be using Watchdog tasked to police government Energy and environment minister Miriam Dalli says Climate Action Authority will replace Malta Resources Authority Transport accounts for 30% of Malta's carbon emissions