We cannot adequately protect the environment in the absence of good governance. ADPD through submissions by Carmel Cacopardo in October 2020, pointed out in detailed objections to ERA’s incinerator EIA public consultation process, the lack of adequate regulation of the conflicts of interest in the regulatory process.
Based on both common sense as well as the relative EU Directive, Malta’s EIA Regulations seek to ensure that those involved in the EIA process should be free from conflicts of interest. A conflict of interest being a situation in which a person is involved in multiple interests and serving one interest could involve working against another. It is not acceptable for those carrying out an EIA to be part of the regulatory process and simultaneously advise those regulated. Those who wish to embark on a career carrying out EIA technical reports are free to do so but they should not be permitted to contaminate the EIA process. In the case of the incineration EIA, an ERA board member Alan Deidun participated in drawing up the first EIA. One cannot at the same time be a consultant and sit on a regulatory board. Additionally the coordinator for the same EIA, Mario Schembri is involved in waste management. He is definitely knowledgeable and experienced in waste management, however, as a waste management operator he cannot as a result of this fact be an impartial or independent contributor to the EIA process.
ADPD and Carmel Cacopardo’s submissions regarding the first EIA have today been proven right, since the EIA on incineration has been reissued for consultation. This is a welcome development. ERA and the government should do their job and make sure that their processes are fair and seen to be fair. It is basic good governance that conflicts of interest are regulated and that regulators, operators in the sector and consultants keep their roles clear and separate. The rule of law matters in environmental issues too.
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L-EIA għall-inċineratur maħruġ mill-ġdid għall-konsultazzjoni, rebħa għal ADPD
Ma nistgħux nipproteġu l-ambjent b’mod adegwat b’nuqqas ta’ governanza tajba. ADPD permezz ta’ sottomissjonijiet minn Carmel Cacopardo f’Ottubru 2020, indikat in-nuqqas ta’ regolamentazzjoni adegwata tal-kunflitti ta’ interess fil-proċess regolatorju għall-proċess ta’ konsultazzjoni pubblika tal-EIA dwar l-inċineratur il-ġdid, liema proċess tmexxa mill-Awtorita għar-Riżorsi u l-Ambjent (ERA).
Kemm is-sens komun kif ukoll fuq id-direttiva relattiva tal-UE jgħidu li dawk involuti fil-proċess tal-EIA għandhom ikunu ħielsa minn kunflitti ta’ interess. Kunflitt ta’ interess hija sitwazzjoni li fiha persunainvoluta f’proċessi regolatorji għandhom sieqhom fuq naħa u l-oħra fuq oħra tal-proċess. Mhux aċċettabbli li dawkinvoluti fl-evalwazzjoni tal-impatti ambjentali ta’ proġett – EIA – ikunu regolatur u fl-istess ħin jagħtu pariri lil dawk regolati. Dawk li jixtiequ karriera li jiktbu u jagġtu konsulenza fuq rapporti tekniċi bħall-EIAs huma liberi li jagħmlu dan, iżda m’għandhomx jitħallew ikunu ukoll fuq bordijiet regolatorji bħall-ERA. Fil-każ tal-EIA oriġinali tal-inċineratur, membru tal-bord tal-ERA, Alan Deidun, ipparteċipa wkoll fit-tfassil tal-EIA. Wieħed ma jistax fl-istess ħin ikun konsulent għall-applikant u wkollmembru tal-bord regolatorju. Barra minn hekk il-koordinatur tal-istess EIA, Mario Schembri huwa involut fl-immaniġġjar tal-iskart. Żgur li Schembri għandu esperjenza vasta u utli fl-immaniġġjar tal-iskart, madankollu, bħala operatur fil-qasam tal-immaniġġjar tal-iskart ma jistax ikun ukoll kontributur imparzjali u indipendenti għall-proċess tal-EIA.
Is-sottomissjoni ta’ ADPD u Caramel Cacopardo rigward l-ewwel EIA illum ġew mogħtija raġun, peress li l-EIA dwar l-inċineratur tal-Magħtab reġa’ ħareġ għall-konsultazzjoni pubblika mill-ġdid. Dan huwa żvilupp pożittiv. Madanakollu kemm l-ERA, kif ukoll il-gvern għandhom jagħmlu xogħolhom sew mill-bidu u jiżguraw li l-proċessi tagħhom ikunu ġusti u jidhru li huma ġusti. Huwa prinċipju bażiku ta’ governanza tajba li l-kunflitti ta’ interess ikunu regolati sew u li r-regolaturi, l-operaturi fis-settur u l-konsulenti jżommu mar-rwoli tagħhom, kollha separati minn xulxin. Is-saltna tad-dritt hija importanti wkoll fi kwistjonijiet ambjentali.
