At a press conference on the future after the COVID-19 crisis and about the investment needed for a new normal and for a socially responsible, ecologically sustainable economy, AD – The Green Party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said: ‘Now, more than ever, both citizens of Europe and people around the world understand that we can overcome the COVID-19 crisis only through solidarity and cooperation between us and between nations. Together we can shape a new future both for our country, for the European Union, and all over the world. We want a future of social, economic and environmental resilience. Everyone must ask themselves: what kind of future do we want?’

Carmel Cacopardo stressed that recovery aid from the European Union in the form of a grant and loans of one billion Euros to Malta (until 2058), which aid could be supplemented by loans generated locally through Government bonds should be an investment aimed at turning the economy into a circular economy, to drastically reduce pollution, and to transform the economy to operate within the limits impose by sustainability, the limits of our planet, and be at the service of people, respecting their health and the environment in which they live.

Alternattiva Demokratika- The Green Party Ralph Cassar, said that AD, together with the European Greens and European Green parties are making proposals to make the necessary change to the economy and to improve the quality of life of people. He stressed that the status quo is neither possible nor acceptable.

He explained the document published today with its post-COVID Green proposals.

He said that small farmers should be helped to develop local markets and that technical assistance should be provided to control and eventually substantially reduce the use of pesticides as well as to make farming sustainable, for example through training in best-practices and organic farming. There is also a need to protect water resources, and investment in rainwater storage.

Malta should insist in EU fora for the establishment of a European Union public laboratory to ensure that essential medicines, medical equipment and medical tests are always available and accessible. There is an urgent need to prevent the commercialisation of scientific knowledge from hampering public health. Cooperation must have precedence over competition.

Every company, especially large ones including banks, insurance and financial services and companies that have received or will receive some form of public aid should be obliged to concretely change their operation to achieve the goal of keeping the increase in average temperature below 1.5°C. Any aid granted to companies should be linked, together with an obligation for a change in practices to become climate-friendly, to retraining to transition to a green and circular economy, and to eradicate precarious work. Companies that siphon off their profits offshore, to avoid contributing to society through taxes, should not benefit from any public aid.

Our country, and every other EU member state must seriously consider together with universally accessible public services, truly decent living wages, and Universal Basic Income systems, which ensure a decent standard of living all the time, even during a crisis, including for freelancers such as artists and other self-employed in the creative industries. The COVID-19 crisis has also shown us that the concept of smart working is feasible for both public and private entities.

Investment is needed to in different sources of clean energy. We need energy through wind turbines, including offshore ones, micro-turbines, mandatory solar panels on every building and factory, including investiment in energy from waves and solar panels at sea. The cumulative impact of small projects, such as micro-turbines, is of enormous importance.

AD is again proposing measures to significantly reduce car pollution. Proposals include a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, safe and inclusive roads for clean transport, and extensive pedestrianisation of our towns and villages. Extensive and Professional urban tree-planting projects are needed, both to make the roads more attractive and to reduce the effects of climate change and the heat island effect, thereby reducing the energy consumption. A substantial part of EU investment should be used for safe and secure routes for bicycles, microscooters and electric bicycles connecting Malta and Gozo.

Clearer rules and targets are needed to make sure that industry, hotels and catering establishments separate and reduce their waste. These should be obliged to draw up a scientific and technical plan to move towards the zero waste target. Mass tourism, with almost three million tourists a year is a huge and unsustainable burden on the country’s infrastructure, and weakens and not enhances the quality of life of residents, apart from the huge impacts on the climate. The number of hotel beds should be reduced to a sustainable number.

The COVID-19 crisis has shown us that the digital revolution, when well-regulated and well-used, is an important part in the building of a resilient society. The digitalisation of public services is important, with ensuring proper safeguards aimed at reducing the risks associated with it. There is a need for Malta together with EU countries to build a European digital ecosystem, which is open, transparent, built on open-source technologies and ensures the protection of privacy.

Over the next few years Malta will see an increase in vacant properties once again as many foreigners who were renting have left and will not return soon. It must be ensured that this property is rented out. Whoever refuses to rent should be obliged to pay a tax on empty property.

Carmel Cacopardo concluded by stressing that: “Whoever is making excuses aimed at avoiding making the necessary investment and preserving the status quo, whoever wants to protect polluters is irresponsible. There is no escape. Malta’s climate change targets should not be kept to a minimum, a minimum is not even being met. We have to move to a new normal. The economic model, the way we live and our society must be based on respect for nature, on solidarity between peoples and nations, and ultimately on respect for ourselves and for each other. ”

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Pjan Aħdar: biex mill-ġdid inqumu fuq saqajna

Waqt konferenza stampa dwar il-futur waral-kriżi tal-COVID-19 u dwar l-investiment neċessarju biex inqumu fuq saqajna u nbiddlu l-ekonomija f’waħda li taqdi lin-nies, iċ-Chairperson ta’ AD Carmel Cacopardo qal:’Illum aktar minn qatt qabel, kemm il-popli Ewropej kif ukoll dawk madwar id-dinja kollha jifmhu li nistgħu negħlbu l-kriżi profonda tal-COVID-19 biss bis-solidarjetà u l-koperazzjoni bejnietna. Flimkien nistgħu nfasslu futur ġdid kemm f’pajjiżna, fl-Ewropa, kif ukoll madwar id-dinja kollha. Futur ta’ reżiljenza soċjali, ekonomika u ambjentali: mill-ġdid inqumu fuq saqajna. Il-mistoqsija li għandha bżonn tweġiba hija waħda: x’futur irridu?’

Carmel Cacopardo saħaq li l-għajnuna mill-Unjoni Ewropea fil-forma ta’ għotja u self ta’ biljun Ewro lil Malta (sal-2058) li jista’ jiżdied u jkun supplimentat b’self iġġenerat lokalment permezz ta’ bonds tal-Gvern għandu jkun investiment immirat biex tinbidel l-ekonomija f’waħda ċirkulari, biex jonqos b’mod drastiku t-tniġġis, u biex l-ekonomija topera fil-limiti li timponi s-sostenibilità u tkun hemm għas-servizz tan-nies, u biex tirrispetta s-saħħa tan-nies u l-ambjent li jgħixu fih. 

Is-Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, Ralph Cassar qal li AD, flimkien mal-Ħodor Ewropej u partiti Ħodor Ewropej qed jagħmlu proposti biex issir il-bidla meħtieġa fl-ekonomija u biex il-kwalità tal-ħajja tan-nies titjieb. Saħaq li l-istatus quo la hu possibli u l-anqas ma hu aċċettabbli. 

Cassar spjega d-dokument ta’ proposti ta’ AD ippubblikat illum. 

Qal illi għandha tingħata għajnuna lill-bdiewa żgħar biex jiżviluppaw is-swieq lokali u li jingħataw għajnuna teknika biex jkun ikkontrollat u eventwalmewnt jitnaqqas sostanzjalment l-użu ta’ pestiċidi kif ukoll biex il-biedja issir sostenibbli per eżempju permezz ta taħriġ fi prattiċi biex il-ħamrija żżomm aktar karbonju ġo fiha , inkluż emfasi fuq biedja organika. Hemm bżonn ukoll li jitħarsu r-riżorsi tal-ilma, u investiment fil-ħażna tal-ilma tax-xita.

Malta għandha tinsisti li jitwaqqaf laboratorju pubbliku tal-Unjoni Ewropea li jiżgura li mediċini essenzjali, tagħmir mediku u testijiet mediċi jkunu dejjem aċċessibbli. Hemm bżonn li l-kummerċjalizzazzjoni tal-għerf xjentifiku ma jitħallhiex ixekkel is-saħħa pubblika. Il-koperazzjoni għandha tiġi qabel il-kompetizzjoni.

Kull kumpanija, speċjalment dawk kbar inkluż il-banek, kumpaniji tal-assigurazzjoni u tas-servizzi finanzjarji li rċevew jew se jirċievu xi forma ta’ għajnuna pubblika għandhom ikunu obbligati li b’mod konkret ibiddlu l-operat tagħhom biex tintlaħaq il-mira li ż-żieda fit-temperatura medja tad-dinja tinżamm taħt il-1.5°C. Kull għajnuna li tingħata lill-kumpaniji għandha tkun marbuta, flimkien ma’ obbligu għal bidla fl-operat biex isir operat li ma’ jagħmilx ħsara lill-klima u fuq taħriġ mill-ġdid biex issir tranżizzjoni lejn xogħol u ekonomija ħadra u ċirkolari, kif ukoll biex jinqered ix-xogħol prekarju. Kumpaniji li jaħbu flushom u l-profitti offshore, biex jevitaw li jagħtu sehemhom permezz tat-taxxi, m’għandhomx igawdu minn l-ebda għajnuna pubblika.

Pajjiżna, u kull stat membru ieħor tal-UE għandu jikkunsidra bis-serjetà flimkien ma’ servizzi pubbliċi universalment aċċessibbli, pagi minimi li huma verament diċenti (living wage), sistemi ta’ Dħul Bażiku Universali , liema dħul jiżgura livell ta’ ħajja diċenti l-ħin kollu, anke meta tfaqqa’ kriżi, inkluż ta’ artisti u dawk li jaħdmu għal rashom. Il-kriżi tal-COViD-19 urietna wkoll li l-kunċett ta’ smart working  huwa fattibbli kemm għal entitajiet pubbliċi, kif ukoll għal dawk privati.

Hemm bżonn investiment biex ikollna sorsi ta’ enerġija nadifa differenti. Għandna bżonn enerġija permezz ta’ turbini tar-riħ, inkluż dawk offshore, mikro-turbini, pannelli solari obbligatorji fuq kull bini u fabbrika, inkluż f’żoni fuq il-baħar permezz tal-mewġ u pannelli solari imqegħda fuq il-baħar. L-impatt kumulattiv ta’ proġetti żgħar, bħal-mikro-turbini, huwa ta’ importanza enormi.

AD terġa tipproponi miżuri biex tnaqqas b’mod sinifikanti t-tniġġis mill-karozzi. Il-proposti jinkludu sistema tal-linja Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), toroq siguri u inklussivi għal transport nadif, u pedestrijanizzazzjoni tal-qalba tal-ibliet u l-irħula tagħna. Hemm bżonn proġetti estensivi u professjonali ta’ siġar fit-toroq tagħna, kemm biex it-toroq isiru aktar attrajenti, kif ukoll biex inaqqsu l-effetti tal-bidla fil-klima u l-heat island effect , u b’hekk anke jnaqqsu l-konsum tal-enerġija. Parti sostanzjali mill-investiment tal-UE għandu jintuża biex ikun hemm rotot siguri u sorveljati għar-roti, microscooters u roti elettriċi li jgħaqqdu lil Malta u Għawdex kollha. 

L-obbligi tal-industrija, lukandi u stabbilimenti tal-catering biex jisseparaw u jnaqqsu l-iskart tagħhom għandhom ikunu aktar ċari, filwa1t li jkunu obbligati jagħmlu pjan xjentifiku u tekniku biex jimxu lejn il-mira ta’ żero skart. Turiżmu tal-massa, b’kważi tliet miljun turist fis-sena huwa ta’ piż enormi u insostenibbli fuq l-infrastruttura tal-pajjiż, u jdgħajjef u mhux isaħħaħ il-kwalità tal-ħajja tar-residenti u dan apparti l-impatti enormi fuq il-klima. In-numru ta’ sodod għandu jitnaqqas għal wieħed sostenibbli.

Il-kriżi tal-Covid-19 urietna li r-revoluzzjoni diġitali, kemm irregolata u użatha tajjeb, hija parti importanti fil-bini ta’ soċjetà reżiljenti. Id-diġitalizazzjoni tas-servizzi pubbliċi hija importanti, bis-salvagwardji li jnaqqsu r-riskji marbuta magħha. Hemm bżonn li Malta flimkien mal-pajjiżi tal-UE jibnu ekosistema diġitali Ewropea, li tirrispetta l-privatezza tal-individwi, miftuħa, trasparenti, mibnija fuq teknoloġiji open-source. 

Tul is-snin li ġejjin ser jerġa’ jkollna propjetajiet vojta u dan billi bosta barranin li kienu qed jikru issa telqu u mhux ser jiġu lura malajr. Għandu jkun assigurat li l-propjetà tintuża billi tinkera u min jirrifjuta li jikri għandu jkollu l-obbligu li jħallas taxxa fuq kull propjetà li titħalla vojta kapriċċożament.

Carmel Cacopardo għalaq billi saħaq illi:”Min iġib skużi biex ma jsirx l-investiment li hemm bżonn,  biex min iħammeġ iħallas u fl-aħħar mill-aħħar inaqqas it-tniġġis, huwa irresponsabbli. M’hemmx aktar fejn taħrab. Il-miri dwar il-bidla fil-klima ta’ Malta m’għandhomx jibqgħu l-minimu possibbli, u ħafna drabi lanqas il-minimu m’huwa qed isir. Irridu nimxu lejn normali ġdid. Il-mudell ekonomiku, il-mod kif ngħixu u s-soċjetà tagħna għandha tkun ibbażata fuq ir-rispett lejn in-natura, id-dinja u fl-aħħar mill-aħħar ir-rispett lejna nfusna u lejn xulxin.”