Il-bidla fil-klima teħtieġ bidla fl-imġiba ta’ kull wieħed u waħda minna u l-politika nazzjonali għandha tkun ta’ xprun għal din il-bidla. Dan sostnewh kelliema ta’ ADPD-The Green Party meta indirizzaw konferenza tal-aħbarijiet f’Marsaskala, waħda mil-lokalitajiet li ntlaqtu ħafna mill-maltempata ta’ din il-ġimgħa.

L-Uffiċjal għar-Relazzjonijiet Pubbliċi ta’ ADPD-The Green Party u kandidat għal Marsaskala Brian Decelis qal li bil-maltemp ta’ dawn il-jiem, erġajna rajna l-impatt tal-bidla fil-klima: ir-reazzjoni tan-natura għall-impatti li ilha tieħu ġo fiha bħala riżultat tal-attività tal-bniedem tul is-snin. Issa drajna b’estremi tat-temp. Il-maltemp straordinarju li kien iseħħ darba kull tant, issa qed narawh iktar spiss bi ħsara li dejjem tiżdied.

Ġie ripetutament emfasizzat li jeħtieġ li nilħqu l-mira tan-newtralità fl-emmissjonijiet tal-karbonju kemm jista’ jkun malajr. Biex dan iseħħ jehtieg li nindirizzaw l-attività kollha tagħna. Li nindirizzaw il-bidla fil-klima tinvolvi deċiżjonijiet politiċi li min-natura tagħhom huma kontroversjali. Jekk irridu nindirizzaw it-tibdil fil-klima bis-serjetà għandna nassiguraw li dawn id-deċiżjonijiet politiċi jkunu jikkumplimentaw lil xulxin u li ma jkunux kontradittorji. B’hekk biss nistgħu nindirizzaw it-tibdil fil-klima kif ukoll dak li qed jikkawżaha.

Min-naħa l-oħra l-politika kurrenti li tinkoraġixxi l-użu ta’ karozzi u jottijiet li jikkunsmaw kwantitajiet kbar ta’ petrol u diesel b’emmissjonijiet mhux żgħar tagħti messaġġ differenti. Iż-żieda fil-kapaċità tat-toroq u t-teħid ta’ iktar bajjiet għall-jottijiet bl-ebda mod ma jikkontribwixxu lejn l-isforz kontra l-bidla fil-klima. Imma jibqgħu ġejjin, deċiżjoni waħda wara l-oħra, mingħajr ħsieb. Il-Ministeru responsabbli għall-bidla fil-klima jiġbed f’direzzjoni u dak responsabbli għat-trasport jiġbed f’direzzjoni opposta!

Tajjeb li niftakru f’dak li jgħidilna l-Pjan Nazzjonali dwar it-Trasport. Madwar 50 fil-mija tal-vjaġġi li nagħmlu bil-karozzi privati tagħna huma għal distanzi qosra, li jdumu inqas minn 15-il minuta. Minkejja dan, ma nagħtux każ tal-mobilità sostenibbli lokali u reġjonali. Bidla f’din l-imġiba, fil-mobilità tagħna lokali u reġjonali, tista’ tnaqqas ammont sostanzjali ta’ karozzi mit-toroq tagħna. Bidla tant essenzjali imma li l-Gvern qiegħed jinjora. Sfortunatament, f’Malta, l-politika dwar it-trasport ftit li xejn tagħti każ tal-klima, temm jgħid Decelis.

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party Sandra Gauci qalet li Malta, bħal gżejjer oħra, hija vulnerabbli immens għat-tibdil fil-klima. Anke jekk il-miri tal-Ftehim ta’ Pariġi jiġu milħuqa, il-baħar mistenni jogħla madwar 50 ċentimetru, jew aktar jekk il-miri jiġu maqbuża. Dan hu ta’ theddida speċjalment għall-infrastruttura u l-komunitajiet tul il-kosta, kif ukoll faċilitajiet turistiċi li fil-parti l-kbira tagħhom qegħdin mal-kosta.

Fl-istrateġija nazzjonali dwar it-tibdil fil-klima hu kruċjali li anke l-bini tagħna jilħaq il-mira ta’ karbonju żero. Ilna żmien nemfasizzaw dwar il-ħtieġa li d-dritt ta’ kull wieħed u waħda minna li jkollu aċċess għax-xemx biex minnha jiġġenera l-elettriku jkun imħares. Il-politika dwar l-ippjanar għall-użu tal-art għandha tesiġi li jkollna ġenerazzjoni ġdida ta’ bini li jipproduċu enerġija ta’ l-inqas daqs kemm jużaw. Din l-enerġija, ġġenerata mix-xemx għandha tkun prodotta fuq is-sit stess. L-ippjanar tal-użu tal-art jista’, jekk imfassal sewwa, jagħti kontribut sostanzjali biex tkun indirizzata l-bidla fil-klima.

Gauci sostniet li dokumenti strateġiċi tal-ippjanar bħalma huwa il-Vision 2050 jonqsu milli jintegraw it-tibdil fil-klima u il-livell dejjem jogħla tal-baħar fi pjanar fit-tul, speċjalment fejn jolqot il-kosta u il-bini fil-gżejjer Maltin. B’aktar temp estrem u kundizzjonijiet tal-baħar mhux favorevoli, ADPD-The Green Party jinsisti li l-infrastruttura kostali titħares u li l-ippjanar jieħu in konsiderazzjoni dawn il-limiti ambjentali, u mhux ikompli jżid ir-riskju bi żvilupp żejjed viċin il-kosta.

Għandna responsabbiltà lejn il-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri li nagħmlu ħilitna kollha biex nindirizzaw l-impatti akkumulati fuq il-klima. Billi nindirizzaw il-preżent nistgħu nassiguraw il-futur, temmet tgħid Gauci.

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Climate change requires a politics of courage which kick-starts change 

Climate change requires a change in and every one of us and national politics should be the kickstart for this change. This was highlighted by speakers for ADPD-The Green Party when they addressed a press conference in Marsaskala, one of the localities that was severely hit by Storm Harry earlier this week. 

The Public Relations Officer for ADPD-The Green Party and candidate for Marsaskala Brian Decelis said that the recent storm has shown us the impact that climate change has on us all: it is nature reacting against the impact that human activity has had over the years. Now we are used to extreme weather. The extraordinary weather that used to be an occasional occurrence is now becoming a more common occurrence, in addition to the damage that results from such change. 

It has been repeatedly emphasised that we need to reach the zero-carbon emissions target as soon as possible.  In order that this materialises we need to address all our activities. Addressing climate change involves political decisions that are controversial.  If we want to address climate change seriously, we should assure that these political decisions need to complement other political decisions and not contradict them. That is the only way we can address the change in climate and what is causing this change.     

On the other hand, the current political decisions are encouraging the use of cars and yachts that consume large quantities of petrol and diesel that also produce considerable emissions gives a very different message. The increase in the carrying capacity of our roads and the take over of our coasts for yachts certainly do not contribute to efforts to combat climate change. But it seems that such decisions are made without any thought about their impact. It is like a tug of war between the ministers responsible for climate change and transport.

We do well to remember what the National Transport Plan says.  Around 50 per cent of all trips via private car is for short distances lasting less than 15 minutes. In spite of this, we are ignoring sustainable mobility options for local and regional areas. A change in our mobility habits may lead to a reduction in the number of cars on our roads. This change is essential, but this is being ignored by the government. Unfortunately, in Malta, politics concerning transport does not factor in climate issues, concluded Decelis.

ADPD-The Green Party Chairperson Sandra Gauci said that Malta, like other islands, is very vulnerable to climate change. Even if the targets laid out by the Paris Agreement are reached, the sea is expected to rise by 50 centimetres – or more if these aims are not met. This is a threat to infrastructure and communities along the coast, as well as tourist facilities which are largely to be found along the coast.

The national strategy on climate change is crucial, so much so that our buildings should reach the zero-carbon targets. We have long emphasised the need for the solar rights of each and every one of us to be protected. The politics about land use should require a new generation of buildings that is able to offset energy consumption. That energy, generated by the sun, should be produced on the same site. Land planning, if done properly, would substantially address climate change issues.

Gauci insisted that strategic planning documents, such as Vision 2025, lack the integration of climate change concerns; the sea levels are rising and there is the need for long-term planning especially along the coasts. With extreme storms and unfavourable weather on the increase, ADPD-The Green Party insists that coastal infrastructure should be protected, and planning must take into consideration these environmental limits and avoid the creation of more risky infrastructure along the coast.

We have a responsibility to address the accumulation of environmental changes impacting the climate.  By addressing these present concerns we will guarantee the future, concluded Gauci.