Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1544378
ONLY a few weeks ago, I wrote about the success of Malta's tourism industry, its transformation post-COVID and the path of transforma- tion that lays ahead. Today, that sense of stability is being tested again, but from a very different direction. The escalation in the Mid- dle East and the disruption of energy flows through critical chokepoints are ex- posing something far deeper than a temporary supply is- sue. They are revealing the structural fragility of Euro- pean systems that have, for decades, been optimised for efficiency rather than re- silience. Aviation fuel has suddenly become visible, not because it was absent before, but because its availability was always assumed. This is where Nassim Taleb's concept of fragility becomes instructive. Frag- ile systems are not those that fail immediately. They are those that appear sta- ble, even efficient, until a specific stress exposes their hidden dependencies. Eu- rope, in many ways, has be- come such a system. It has outsourced risk, extended supply chains, and built eco- nomic models that assume continuity in a world that is increasingly discontinuous. The European project has delivered integration, scale, and efficiency. But in do- ing so, it has often depri- oritised agency. Energy has been sourced globally, based on cost rather than control. Infrastructure has been in- terconnected, but not al- ways diversified. Critical inputs, from fuel to digital infrastructure, are often de- pendent on external actors. The result is a system that performs exceptionally well in stable conditions, yet be- comes exposed when those conditions shift. The aviation fuel test The current pressure on aviation fuel illustrates this clearly. A large share of Eu- rope's jet fuel imports orig- inates from the Gulf, mov- ing through routes that are now geopolitically strained. Southern Europe is particu- larly exposed. When flows tighten, even marginally, the effects ripple quickly through the system. Not be- cause there is an immediate shortage, but because flexi- bility disappears. Tourism, particularly in Malta, offers a powerful lens through which to under- stand this. Malta is one of the most tourism-dependent econ- omies in Europe, but also one of the most exposed. It is an island system built almost entirely on connec- tivity. There are no alter- native transport corridors. Every visitor arrives through a network that depends on global aviation, energy sup- ply chains, and geopolitical stability. This makes Mal- ta both highly adaptive and structurally fragile. The post-COVID recovery demonstrated the adaptive side of the system. Connec- tivity, which had collapsed 14 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 APRIL 2026 Economist JP Fabri NEWS A proposed crematorium in Paola would rely on a sophisticated air filtration and emissions control system, according to a document recently submitted in the plan- ning process. The filtration system of the cre- matorium, which will be close to the Addolorata Cemetery, is de- signed to significantly reduce pol- lutants before gases are released into the atmosphere. The application (PA/05280/21) filed by Johann Camilleri's Ac- tive Group, would include a multi-stage purification process combining gas cooling, chemical neutralisation, particle filtration, and continuous emissions moni- toring. This emerges from a technical report by Kalfrisa S.A., a Spanish industrial company with nearly 60 years of experience in delivering advanced technological solutions. The company has also developed its range of cremation furnaces, which are in operation at more than 300 facilities throughout Eu- rope. At the core of the system is a treatment process that first cools exhaust gases produced during cremation from very high tem- peratures down to around 200°C. This step is necessary to make the gases suitable for further cleaning. Once cooled, the gases are treat- ed with a fine powdered mixture containing sodium bicarbonate and activated carbon. In simple terms, the sodium bicarbonate reacts with acidic gases such as hydrochloric acid and sulphur compounds, helping neutralise them, while the activated carbon absorbs more persistent pollut- ants such as dioxins, furans, and traces of heavy metals. The treated gases then pass through a large fabric filter, which captures remaining fine particles and solid residues. This filter is designed to clean itself automat- ically using bursts of compressed air, reducing the need for manual maintenance and keeping the sys- tem operating efficiently. After filtration, a fan system draws the cleaned gases through the installation and releases them via a chimney. Before release, emissions are continuously mon- itored for key pollutants including nitrogen oxides, carbon monox- ide, oxygen levels, and dust par- ticles. This ensures the plant re- mains within strict environmental limits at all times. According to the technical docu- mentation, the system is designed to meet stringent European emis- sion standards under industrial emissions rules, with very low target levels for acid gases, partic- ulates, and dioxins. The filtration system also in- cludes a nitrogen oxide reduc- tion component, further low- ering emissions associated with high-temperature combustion. All operations would be managed through a central digital control panel, allowing operators to mon- itor performance in real time. Initial projections cited by the case officer suggest the facility would begin by handling around four cremations per week, equiv- alent to roughly 5% of funerals in Malta. The operator estimates this could eventually rise to around 25 cremations weekly, potentially ac- counting for about 30% of funerals within a decade. The proposal is currently at out- line stage, meaning the Planning Authority is only being asked to approve the principle of the devel- opment rather than full technical details. The case officer report states that key studies on emissions dis- persion and archaeological impact are still to be submitted at a later stage. The project as proposed will in- volve the take up of 7,800sq.m of agricultural land in the Tal-Ħorr area of Paola, just outside the de- velopment zone in close vicinity to the Addolorata Cemetery. The final decision now rests with the Planning Authority board, which is expected to decide on 23 April whether the project should receive approval in principle—a step that could pave the way for Malta's first crematorium. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Paola crematorium hinges on advanced filtration system as decision looms The Planning Authority is set to decide on 23 April whether to approve in principle Malta's first crematorium, a project relying on a multi-stage emissions filtration system designed to meet strict environmental standards The project as proposed will involve the take up of 7,800sq.m of agricultural land in the Tal-Horr area of Paola, just outside the development zone in close vicinity to the Addolorata Cemetery