Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/634260
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 31 JANUARY 2016 40 Environment JORG SICOT IN our last article we raised the point that "we, as a nation, feel a strong sense of patriotism for our history and the masterpieces of our heritage" yet "that same sense of duty lacks when environmen- tal issues crop up". Could this be due to the fact that until recently education in environmental sub- jects has been neglected for fear that it might interfere with the authorities' development agen- das? This contrasts with the rest of the western world where re- searchers have shown that even a view of greenery from a window can give us a psychological and physical boost. Who among us has not enjoyed a stroll, read a book, picnicked, fallen in love, or otherwise enjoyed a natural area or lovely public garden? In cities, the presence of nature – whether plantings in private gardens, on our traffic roundabouts or public gardens – softens the concrete of our streets and buildings and connects us with growth and with the seasons. Academically-focused Mal- tese parents will be interested to know that scientific studies show that students who spend time in a natural setting score bet- ter on memory and mood. The researchers suggest that the ad- ditional mental demands of city streets – particularly attention to traffic and the subconscious distraction of noise – causes stress, while in nature we can let our minds wander, enabling our brains to rest and absorb more. These results were borne out in school settings where students achieve better academic results if they can see trees from their classroom windows or benefit from plants in the classroom. Furthermore, an academic re- view of 86 studies published since 2000, conducted by Dan- ish researchers for the Interna- tional Federation of Parks and Recreation Administration in 2013 found an immense range of connections between nature and public health, from reduced headaches to longer lives. This is particularly relevant to Malta where obesity is considered the primary public health problem. Additionally, Dr Jason Bon- nici, speaking at FAA's March 2015 seminar on the future of the South of Malta, reported a higher incidence of use of medication for mental illness in heavily built- up areas. This tallies with reports by scientists in the Netherlands. The National Recreation and Park Association report even cites studies finding lower levels of aggression, violence and crime in Chicago housing projects with views of vegetation than in those without. This reinforces the view that environment is also an is- sue of social justice, as a rating of residential areas with a high percentage of greenery in Malta would place Kappara, Madliena, Santa Maria Estate and the Three Villages at the top of the scale, with Marsa, Senglea, Msida and Gzira at the lower end. Floriana is a notable exception. It therefore comes as a breath of fresh air to read MEPA's recent DC 2015 policy "The Authority will encourage developments to create new open spaces, includ- ing public amenity space, which should be suitably linked to the developments' surrounding… particularly where there is no ex- isting reasonable open space pro- vision within walking distance of the site and safe access to it from the site, however, the pro- vision of new onsite open amen- ity space/s may be specifically demanded by the Authority. The size of such space/s is to be cal- culated at a reasonable ratio per dwelling that takes into account individuals' recreational and ac- tivity requirements." This is indeed a revolutionary concept for the Maltese planning context where usurping public gardens for construction is not unknown, the latest one at risk being Ta' Xbiex public garden. We wait with bated breath to see this new policy implemented. Jorg Sicot is an FAA Committee Member EU billions destined to transform the carbon-intensive, inefficient energy systems of Central and Eastern Europe are being misspent, finds a new report today by CEE Bankwatch Network and Friends of the Earth Europe. Bad spending plans and a lack of climate commitments from nine central and eastern European governments is hampering Europe's transition away from fossil fuels. The new research reveals that in CEE countries only 7 per cent of the 178 billion euros in European Regional Development and Cohesion Funds will be invested into renewables, energy efficiency and SMART grids, and that the integration of climate considerations into all plans and projects – as required under EU law – remains superficial. The European Commission asked member states to concentrate EU funding on climate action and climate mainstreaming within the EU's seven year, one trillion euro budget for 2014 to 2020. The report lays the blame squarely on the insufficient spending plans and absent climate commitments of the countries receiving the funding. For example, both Poland and the Czech Republic will offer financial support for the replacement of 'old coal boilers' with 'modern coal boilers' under the heading of environmental protection. Estonia will retain carbon- intensive oil shale as its major energy source; Croatia and Estonia have received support for airport extensions – usually excluded from EU funds. In Romania, a third of all the money received will be spent on the transport sector, without any integral climate considerations. The report includes a comprehensive set of recommendations for ensuring that EU funds contribute to Europe's energy transition in a meaningful way. This includes the use of the upcoming EU budget midterm review as an opportunity to align funding in CEE countries with European efforts to tackle climate change. White wagtails (zakak abjad) are small elegant birds who turn up in autumn and stay the winter. By day they spread out to hunt for insects but at dusk they flock to sleep in communal roosts (safety in numbers and all that). The biggest wagtail roost in Malta is the ficus trees in Great Siege and St John Squares in Valletta, a site that BirdLife has monitored annually since the 1980s. This year was a record count, with close to 7,900 birds counted. People understandably question how the birds are counted. No, we don't go underneath the trees and count the birds as they snooze. Counts are made by a group of watchers who meet late on a January afternoon and station themselves around the perimeter of Valletta, each with a specific section of sky to 'work'. Around sunset the birds start winging in from all over the island and the watchers count them as they fly over and into the city; in less than an hour it's all over. Then the watchers, often numb with cold, regroup and pool their totals. Simple! GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 394: FIND OUT MORE – VISIT HTTP://WWW.FOEMALTA.ORG/ LINKS/ENFANTSTERRIBLES TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT. Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation - www.foemalta.org/donate Enfants terribles undermining fossil-free future Text Victor Falzon Photo Aron Tanti 49. RECORD ROOST COUNT Nature – essential to urban living