Waqt konferenza stampa quddiem il-Ministeru għall-ambjent u l-enerġija fil-Belt Valletta, kelliema ta’ ADPD-The Green Party qalu li l-politika fuq l-enerġija qed tesponi lil pajjiżna għal riskji  li l-pajjiż ikollu jħallas għalihom bil-qares. Fuq quddiem nett hemm in-nuqqas ta’ pjan biex tiżdied l-effiċjenza u titnaqqas il-ħela. 

Warajha hemm id-dipendenza dejjiema ta’ Malta fuq il-fuels fossili li qed tħalli lill-pajjiżna espost għall-instabilità tal-prezzijiet tal-enerġija. Din il-ġimgħa, Malta ġiet imwissija formalment mill-Kummissjoni Ewropea għax il-gvern naqas milli jissottometti l-Pjan Nazzjonali għar-Rinnovazzjoni tal-Bini. Dawn il-pjanijiet huma maħsuba biex jiggwidaw l-investiment u l-miri biex tittejjeb l-effiċjenza enerġetika fil-bini residenzjali u kummerċjali kif ukoll  biex is-settur tal-bini jimxi lejn dekarbonizzazzjoni sal-2050.  Minflok, il-gvern jibqa’ jinkoraġġixxi spekulazzjoni u ferneżija ta’ bini ineffiċjenti u ta’ kwalità baxxa. Din il-bixra ta’ politika tal-ħela, tkompli tiddi fil-qasam tas-sussidji fuq l-enerġija. Minflok mhu qed jinċentiva l-effiċjenza enerġetika, u inċentivi ikbar għal enerġija rinnovabbli, filwaqt li  jissussidja l-użu bażiku, il-gvern baqa’ jissussidja anke il-ħela.

Apparti n-nuqqas ta’ responsabbiltà lejn id-dinja ta’ madwarna u lejn saħħitna, din il-politika qed twassal għal sparpaljar ta’ riżorsi importanti li jgħabbu ġenerazzjonijiet futuri b’dejn insostenibbli.  Il-gvern ħati li qed iberbaq flus li jistgħu jintużaw b’mod ħafna iktar produttiv għas-saħħa, l-enerġija rinnovabbli u l-edukazzjoni fost l-oħrajn.

Il-gvern qed jibqa’ jinsisti li jara sa mnieħru. Mario Mallia, Deputat Segretarju Ġenerali qal li l-mudell attwali tal-enerġija ta’ Malta jħalli lill-pajjiż espost b’mod perikoluż għal kriżijiet internazzjonali u xokkijiet fil-prezzijiet.

“Il-kriżijiet ġeopolitiċi riċenti għal darb’oħra wasslu biex il-prezzijiet tal-gass u fuels oħra jogħlew globalment. Pajjiżi li jiddependu ħafna fuq fuels fossili inevitabbilment jgħaddu dawn l-ispejjeż lill-konsumaturi jew inkella jżidu d-dejn b’mod insostenibbli. Dejn biex jiffinanzja l-ħruq u duħħan.   Il-gvern ħalla lil Malta vulnerabbli għall-instabilità tas-swieq internazzjonali, meta jista’ jagħmel mod ieħor. Pajjiżi li investew kmieni u b’mod konsistenti fl-enerġija rinnovabbli illum qed igawdu minn sigurtà enerġetika akbar u prezzijiet aktar baxxi. Spanja, ngħidu aħna, irduppjat il-kapaċità tagħha ta’ enerġija mir-riħ u mix-xemx mill-2019 ’l hawn u llum għandha wieħed mill-inqas prezzijiet tal-elettriku fl-Ewropa, propju għax is-suq tal-elettriku tagħha jiddependi ħafna inqas fuq il-prezzijiet instabbli tal-gass. Dan biex ma nsemmux l-iżvilupp ta’ karrieri u postijiet tax-xogħol ġodda ġġenerati fit-teknoloġija tal-enerġija rinnovabbli .

“Dan juri b’mod ċar li l-enerġija rinnovabbli ma tindirizzax  biss il-protezzjoni tal-klima, imma tikkontribwixxi b’mod dirett għall-ħolqien tax-xogħol u s-sigurtà ekonomika tal-pajjiż,” temm jgħid Mallia.

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party Sandra Gauci emfasizzat li t-tranżizzjoni lejn sistema enerġetika sostenibbli trid tmur id f’id ma’ politika li tnaqqas d-domanda għall-enerġija.

“Il-bini f’Malta huwa wieħed mill-akbar opportunitajiet mhux sfruttati biex jitnaqqas il-konsum tal-enerġija. B’insulazzjoni adegwata, disinn effiċjenti u programmi fuq skala kbira ta’ rinnovazzjoni tal-bini, id-domanda għall-elettriku tista’ tonqos drastikament. Il-fatt li l-gvern naqas milli jippreżenta strateġija nazzjonali għar-rinnovazzjoni tal-bini lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea juri li l-effiċjenza enerġetika għadha ma tingħatax l-urġenza li jistħoqqilha. Minflok il-gvern moħħu biex jinċentiva l-ispekulazzjoni u l-bini bl-addoċċ għas-skapitu tan-nies u tal-pajjiż.”

Il-viżjoni fit-tul ta’ ADPD għall-futur enerġetiku ta’ Malta hija mfissra fil-Green Vision 2050, li tipproponi bidla fundamentali ’l bogħod mid-dipendenza fuq fuels fossili lejn sistema enerġetika deċentralizzata u bbażata fuq l-enerġija rinnovabbli. Fost il-proposti ewlenin hemm:

• Investiment massiv fl-enerġija mix-xemx fuq il-bjut tad-djar, tal-binjiet kummerċjali u tal-infrastruttura pubblika.
• L-iżvilupp ta’ komunitajiet tal-enerġija permezz ta’ koperattivi tal-enerġija rinnovabbli.
• Programmi fuq skala kbira għar-rinnovazzjoni u l-insulazzjoni tal-bini biex titnaqqas id-domanda għall-enerġija.
• Investiment fil-ħażna tal-enerġija u f’netwerks intelliġenti biex jifilħu aktar enerġija rinnovabbli fis-sistema.
• Mira ta’ 50% elettriku minn sorsi rinnovabbli tal-2030, minflok il-mira fjakka ta’ 25%.
• L-elettrifikazzjoni tat-trasport flimkien mal-ġenerazzjoni tal-elettriku għat-trasport minn sorsi rinnovabbli.

“Dawn il-miżuri jnaqqsu d-dipendenza ta’ Malta fuq fuels fossili importati, jistabbilizzaw il-prezzijiet tal-enerġija u jnaqqsu l-emissjonijiet tal-gassijiet serra,” tenniet Sandra Gauci.

L-esperjenza ta’ pajjiżi li diġà aċċelleraw it-tranżizzjoni tagħhom lejn enerġija rinnovabbli turi li l-enerġija nadifa tista’ tipproteġi lill-familji minn xokkijiet globali fil-prezzijiet tal-enerġija filwaqt li toħloq impjiegi u ssaħħaħ is-sigurtà enerġetika nazzjonali.

“Malta ma tistax tkompli tiddependi fuq fuels fossili għal dejjem,” ikkonkludiet Gauci. “Futur ibbażat fuq enerġija rinnovabbli u effiċjenza enerġetika mhux biss huwa possibbli imma essenzjali. Il-Ministru tal-Finanzi tkellem fil-Parlament dwar ‘headroom’ jew ‘cushion’ permezz ta’ sussidji. L-aħjar u l-aqwa ‘cushion’ li jħalli aktar flus fil-pajjiż, li jkattar l-impjiegi moderni, jnaqqas it-tniġġis u jissalvagwardja s-saħħa tan-nies huwa l-investiment fl-enerġija rinnovabbli u fl-effiċjenza fl-użu tal-enerġija.”

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Malta’s dependency on fossil fuels is economic exposure

During a press conference in front of the Ministry for the Environment and Energy in Valletta, speakers for ADPD-The Green Party said that the current political stance on energy is exposing our country to risks that will make the country pay dearly.  The top issue here is the lack of planning in connection with energy efficiency and the reduction of energy waste.   

The second major risk is Malta’s dependency on fossil fuel energy that exposes the country to fluctuating energy prices.  This week, Malta was formally warned by the European Commission because the government had failed to submit a National Building Renovation Plans (NBRPs).  These plans are designed to focus on investment in energy efficiency for residential and commercial buildings as well as for the construction sector to focus on decarbonisation by 2025.  Instead, the government encourages speculation and the proliferation of energy inefficient buildings that are also of poor quality.  This politics of wastefulness is also evident in energy subsidies.  Instead of incentivising energy efficiency and renewable energy, and subsidising basic usage, the government has continued to subsidise wastefulness.   

Besides the lack of responsibility for the environment and public health, this kind of politics translates into the waste of vital resources that will impact our future generations with unsustainable debt. The government is guilty of spending money that could be used more productively for public health, renewable energy and education amongst other needs. 

The government seems keen on being short-sighted.  Mario Mallia, Deputy General Secretary, said the actual energy model Malta is using leaves the country dangerously exposed to international crises and price fluctuations. 

“The recent geopolitical crises have once again caused the price of fossil fuels to increase globally.  Countries that depend heavily on fossil fuels inevitably pass these costs to consumers or end up taking on unsustainable debt.   Debt that finances burning and smoke.  The government has left Malta exposed to the instability of the international markets when something else could have been done.  Countries that have invested early on and consistently in renewable energy are now enjoying greater energy stability and lower prices.  Spain has doubled its energy capacity through wind and solar sources from 2019, and today enjoys some of the lowest energy prices in Europe, all because its energy market is less reliant on unstable gas prices.  Not only this, but this investment in renewable energy sources has led to new career opportunities.   

“This clearly shows that renewable energy does not only address climate protection, but it also contributes to the creation of work and stable economic growth,” concluded Mallia.

ADPD-The Green Party Chairperson Sandra Gauci emphasised that the transition to a system dependent on sustainable energy goes hand in hand with a politics that reduces the demand for energy.

“Buildings in Malta are clearly an untapped opportunity in connection with energy consumption.  With adequate insulation, efficient designs and renovation programmes on a national scale, the demand for electricity could go down drastically.  The fact that the government has neglected to present a national plan for the renovation of buildings to the European Commission shows that energy efficiency is not a priority.  Instead, the government is simply focusing on speculation and rampant development at the cost of the people and the future of this country.”

The long-term vision that ADPD has for Malta’s future energy plans is explained in Green Vision 2050, which proposes a decentralised energy system based on renewable energy. Amongst the main proposals are:

• Massive investment in solar energy on rooftops – residential, commercial and public infrastructure
• The development of energy communities through cooperatives of renewable energy
• National programmes for the renovation and insulation of buildings to reduce reliance on energy demand
• Investment in energy storage and intelligent networks to take on more renewable energy in the system
• Aim of 50% electricity from renewable sources by 2030, instead of 25%.
• The electrification of public transport together with the generation of electricity from renewable sources.

“These measures reduce Malta’s dependence on imported fossil fuels, stabilise energy prices and reduce greenhouse gases,” said Sandra Gauci.

The experiences of countries that have advanced their transition to renewable energy shows that clean energy can protect families from global shocks in energy prices whilst creating jobs and strengthening national energy supply. 

“Malta cannot depend on fossil fuels forever,” concluded Gauci. “A future based on renewable energy and energy efficiency is not only possible but essential.  The Minister for Finance has spoken in Parliament about ‘headroom’ or ‘cushion’ due to subsidies. The best ‘cushion’ that can save the county money is to invest in modern jobs, reduce pollution and safeguard people’s health due to investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency.”