Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/624751
50 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 10 JANUARY 2016 Sport SAILING TENNIS eNGOs QUESTION CREDIBILITY OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY BY REFUSING SEAT ON CLIMATE ACTION BOARD Environment organisations will be refusing Minister Leo Brincat's invitation to take a seat on the Climate Action Board, as a sign of protest at the Government's lack of commitment to environmental priorities. Although the eNGOs realise that formally MEPA was not under Minister Brincat's direct responsibility, they still maintain he has done far too little to ward off the worst excesses afflicting the environment. Minister Brincat's participation in the three- Minister press conference at Ta' Barkat to justify the take-up of the original large ODZ site at Zonqor is a case in point. Similarly, Minister Brincat does not seem overly concerned that the Environment Directorate has not been functioning effectively for the last two years, a fact highlighted repeatedly by the eNGOs. The parliamentary debate on the MEPA separation completely exposed the hollowness of Government's commitment to the environment. However the eNGOs' final verdict was not decided by these factors, even though recent eNGO experience on boards weighed heavily as they were inevitably outnumbered, generally ignored and forced to helplessly watch the rapid degradation of what passes for environmental protection in Malta: the Zonqor debacle, unnecessary high-rise buildings, illegal songbird trapping with hugely inflated catches permitted, new policies that facilitate building in ODZ, the sidestepping of policies to facilitate reclamation, aiding and abetting criminal acts like the stealing of electricity at illegal boathouse shantytowns and the ongoing Montekristo charade. Despite all this, the eNGOs had come to the conclusion that they would take up the offer of a seat on the Climate Action Board. That frame of mind favouring cooperation was shattered by the developments regarding the new "Wild Birds" regulations, designed to facilitate hunters' and trappers' killing of endangered species. These proposals coming from the Ministry with responsibility for Environment and Climate Change actions contradict the very ethos of the said Ministry. They are designed specifically to aid and abet the most uncivilised and lawless practices of some hunters and trappers. We maintain that this government is hell- bent on appeasing rather than doing the right thing. The hypocrisy of allowing the killing of endangered species on the pretext that they are not protected by the EU has caused the Environment Ministry to lose all credibility. This loss has been developing for some time through the activities of Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes; but not even he can refute the fact that allowing rich hunters to import birds killed in South America or Egypt will further undermine the survival of species. The increasing rate of extinction of several species is a well-established effect of Climate Change, hence the concern in the COP 21 final document: The "integrity of all ecosystems" is noted, along with "the imperative of biodiversity protection". It should therefore come as no surprise that under such conditions no respectable eNGO would want to occupy a seat on the Climate Action Board. The eNGOs will therefore not be taking up the offer of a place on the Climate Action Board. Din l-Art Ħelwa Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar Friends of the Earth NatureTrust Malta Ramblers Association Royal Malta Yacht Club to host annual ICOYC European Regional Conference Novak Djokovic too strong for Nadal THE Royal Malta Yacht Club will be hosting the annual European Regional Conference of the Inter- national Council of Yacht Clubs' (ICOYC). The ICOYC fosters close relations between Yacht Clubs from around the world in order to improve the quality of yachting and other serv- ices they provide to their members. The objective of this Council is to bring together Clubs and work to- wards creating effective platforms for ideas exchange, synergy build- ing and encourage participation at joint events. The European Regional Confer- ence will be welcoming delegates from the United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, Germany, Sweden, Bel- gium and Denmark. More coun- tries are expected to register. Del- egates will be participating in a full programme which will include discussions and presentations on inter club exchanges, youth devel- opment and engagement as well as encouraging more participation in Club events. Speakers will include a mix of local and foreign speakers all of whom have built strong ex- pertise in their field. A social programme for both del- egates and spouses will also be in- cluded enabling foreign delegates to enjoy a bit of our islands during their short stay. "The ICOYC brings together some of the world's leading yacht clubs, to share experiences and expertise and work on building synergy with other member clubs. ", said Godwin Zammit, Commo- dore, Royal Malta Yacht Club. "It is an honour for the Royal Malta Yacht Club to host such a Confer- ence and we are confident that this networking event will enable us to develop our sport further and im- prove on the way we manage our Club's offerings". The European Regional Confer- ence of the International Council of Yacht Clubs' (ICOYC) will be held at the Royal Malta Yacht Club between the 15th and 17th January 2016. This event is being supported by Yachting Malta. The pro- gramme of events can be viewed on http://www.rmyc.org/social- events/?id=48 THE world number one was too strong for Nadal, who was seeking his first ATP Tour hard-court title in two years, winning 6-1 6-2 in an hour and 13 minutes. Djokovic needed just 31 minutes to breeze through the first set, in the clash of the top two seeds in Doha. The Serbian broke in the second and sixth games and closed the set out to love. Djokovic strengthened his posi- tion when he took his third break point in the opening game of the second set - and it was a long way back for the Spaniard when he was broken again to fall 4-1 behind. Although Nadal held his next serve, Djokovic served out to win the game and seal victory in their 47th ATP World Tour meeting - and go 24-23 ahead. Novak Djokovic: Claimed victory over Nadal in Doha