“Our coast is for all of us to enjoy. We should protect it from excessive commercialisation that has been going on for many years.” This was stated by Carmel Cacopardo, ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson while addressing the press at Żonqor Point in Marsaskala.

Brian Decelis, ADPD candidate of the third and fourth electoral districts, said that what is happening in Marsaskala is a prime example of how the coast is being denied to the common citizen with several so-called development opportunities that threaten free access to it. There is the land granted to the American University of Malta that brought with it the underhand agreement to construct a swimming pool in the bay, with the expected ancillary services that will limit the access.

But undoubtedly the most obscene proposal for this locality is that of a marina that will engulf the bay. Now we know that in spite of all the protests the Government remains determined to proceed with these plans so much so that four submissions have been made to the call for proposals. It is still not known whether any of these are related to another massive development along the Marsascala coast, that of Jerma.

Carmel Cacopardo, ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson said that what is happening in Marsaskala is but one example of how the coast is considered as a business opportunity leading to unbridled development that lowers the quality of live of the residents living close to the coast. Some of the most glaring examples are The Freeport Terminal, Manoel Island, Balluta Bay, the Birgu Waterfront, the Kalkara yacht marina and the Valletta Waterfront. Many times these also impinge onto open spaces and the pavements along the coast.

Around four years ago Parliament approved the public domain legislation to protect the coast. A lot of pompous speeches were made then. Environmental NGOs had submitted a list of over 20 sites along the coast that qualified for protection – these eNGOs had even carried out extensive research on these sites’ ownership. However it seems that neither the Lands Authority nor the Planning Authority took any action even when it was proven beyond any doubt that the land in question was public property. Why approve laws when there is no intention to implement them?

Moreover, as has been highlighted at the climate conference being held in Glasgow, Scotland, climate change will lead to a rise in the sea level, with a devastating effect on islands such as Malta. Not only will it impact the infrastructure – maritime, tourism, water and electricy – which is all interlinked to our coast, it will even impact the residential areas close to the sea.

Nobody can be certain as to when and how this will take place, primarily due to the fact that there are many natural processes at play that we still need to fully understand. Nevertheless it is possible that mitigation measures directed at reducing carbon emissions could be effective if duly implemented.

A number of islands in the Pacific Ocean have already started to disappear in the face if a rising sea level and it is only thanks to extensive lobbying by island states that the original target of capping the increase in global temperature to 2 degree Celsius was reduced to 1.5 degrees. But this is not enough. Now is the time to pass from words to action and what had been agreed in Paris in 2015 is implemented.

Timely action may safeguard out coast that belongs to us all!

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Il- Kosta tagħna lkoll

“Il-kosta tagħna lkoll. Għandna l-obbligu li nħarsuha minn kummerċjalizzazzjoni esaġerata li ilha għaddejja s-snin.” Dan qalu Carmel Cacopardo, Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party waqt li kien qed jindirizza konferenza stampa fiż-Żonqor Marsaskala.

Brian Decelis, kandidat tal-ADPD għall-Elezzjoni Ġenerali fuq it-tielet u ir-raba’ distrett, qal li I-lokalità ta’ Marsaskala hija xempju ta’ kif il-kosta mhux qegħda tiġi ikkunsidrata bħala li għandha tappartjeni liċ-ċittadin b’diversi eżempji ta’ opportunitajiet ta’ żvilupp li jhedded l-aċċess liberu. Għandek l-art mogħtija lil American University of Malta li magħha ġabet il-ftehim li sar minn taħt biex issir pixxina fil-bajja, min jaf b’kemm servizzi anċilllari li jkomplu jnaqqru mill-aċċess li diġa hu limitat.

Imma bla dubju ta’ xejn l-akbar oxxenita’ proposta għal din il-lokalita’ tibqa’ dik ta’ marina li toħnoq kompletament il-bajja. Issa nafu li minkejja l-protesti li saru il-Gvern jinsab determinat li jibqa’ għaddej bil-pjanijiet tant li kien hemm erbgħa li rrispondew għas-sejħa li ħarġet għal sotomissjonijiet. Għad mhux magħruf jekk dawn is-sottomissjonijiet humiex abbinati ma’ proġett massiċċ ieħor mal-kosta ta’ Marsaskala, bħal dak tal-Jerma.

Carmel Cacopardo, Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party qal li dak li qiegħed iseħħ f’Marsaskala huwa biss eżempju wieħed ta’ kif il-kosta hija kkunsidrata biss bħala opportunita’ ta’ negozju għal żvilupp bla rażan li jkompli jbaxxi il-kwalita’ tal-ħajja tar-residenti li jgħixu madwar il-kosta. Fost l-eżempji li jispikkaw wieħed jista’ jsemmi l-Freeport Terminal, Manoel Island, il-Bajja tal-Balluta, il-Waterfront tal-Birgu, il-yacht marina fil-Kalkara u l-Valletta Waterfront. Ħafna drabi dan jestendi għal spazji miftuħa u l-bankini viċin il-kosta.

Madwar erba’ snin ilu il-Parlament kien approva liġi dwar id-dimanju pubbliku biex tħares il-kosta. Kien intqal ħafna diskors sabiħ dwar din il-liġi u għaqdiet ambjentali kienu ressqu lista ta’ aktar minn 20 sit mal-kosta li kienu jikkwalifikaw għal protezzjoni – dawn l-għaqdiet kienu saħansitra indagaw dwar is-sidien ta’ dawn l-artijiet. Imma jidher li la l-Awtorità tal-Artijiet u lanqas l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar ma ħadu azzjoni anke fejn ma kienx hemm dubju li l-art kienet pubblika. Għaliex napprovaw liġijiet jekk ma jkollniex il-ħsieb li nimplimentawhom?

Barra minn hekk kif ġie emfasizzat fil-konferenza dwar il-klima li qegħda issir fi Glasgow, l-iSkozja, it-tibdil fil-klima jista’ jwassal biex il-livell tal-baħar jogħla, b’impatt devastanti fuq gżejjer bħal Malta. Mhux biss tintlaqat l-infrastruttura ta’ pajjiżna li hija mfassla mal-kosta – dik marittima, tat-turiżmu kif ukoll tad-dawl u l-elettriku – imma anke b’impatt sostanzjali fuq dawk iż-żoni residenzjali viċin il-baħar.

Ħadd ma’ jista’ jkun ċert meta dan se jseħħ u kif, primarjament għaliex hemm ħafna proċessi naturali li għad irridu nifhmu sew kif jaħdmu. Madankollu huwa possibbli li miżuri ta’ mitigazzjoni intenzjonati biex inaqqsu l-emissjonijijet tal-karbonju jistgħu ikunu effettivi jekk implimentati.

Numru ta’ gżejjer fl-Oċean Paċifiku diġà jinstabu milquta u kien biss b’riżultat tal-insistenza ta’ gżejjer stati li l-mira oriġinali taż-żieda fit-temperatura medja kienet mnaqqsa minn żewġ gradi għal wieħed punt ħames gradi. Imma dan mhux biżżejjed. Hemm bżonn li mill-kliem ngħaddu għal fatti u dak li ġie maqbul f’Pariġi fl-2015 jiġi mwettaq.

Azzjoni f’waqta tista’ tħares il-kosta li wara kollox hi tagħna lkoll!