The political discourse on climate change has so far concentrated on the control of carbon emissions due to their contribution to global warming. We need to start considering the widespread impacts on health, agriculture and water harvesting as well as on the urgent need to beef up coastal protection in anticipation of a medium-term sea-level rise. This was stated by Carmel Cacopardo ADPD Chairperson and Dr Ralph Cassar, when addressing a press conference earlier today in Valletta.

Ralph Cassar (contesting the 7th and 11th electoral districts) stated that during this campaign we have mostly discussed climate change mitigation, laying out our plans for carbon neutrality which we propose to achieve through a gradual shift to renewable energy for all of our energy needs.
In the meantime the climate is already changing and it will take time for adaptation measures to have an impact, provided that they are implemented. As a result there are a number of sectors which will be gradually impacted by the tropicalisation of our climate. The Mediterranean region is warming 20% faster that the global average this has a considerable impact on our quality of life.

Carmel Cacopardo (contesting the 4th and 9th electoral districts) stated that climate change is already impacting health in a number of ways including by leading to death and illness as a result of extreme weather conditions such as heatwaves, more frequent storms and floods. This would inevitably disrupt food production through an impact on agriculture as a result of both a temperature rise as well as a reduced availability of water. Warmer temperatures will also result in an increased exposure to disease. This will create additional strains on our health services which we must adequately plan for. The elderly and vulnerable persons will be among the hardest hit. We are fully confident that the National Health Service can address this challenge. However it requires more resources and a clear strategy.

Carmel Cacopardo added: We have just read the Meteorological report that this February was one of the driest on record. Since 1st September we have had less than half of the expected rainfall: just 115.8 mm of rain. It is crucial that rainwater harvesting is properly addressed, we need to harvest more rainwater instead of dumping it into the sea, directly or through the public sewer! The Water Services Corporation and the Planning Authority need to ensure that water cisterns are provided in all new developments in line with development permits.

“With rainfall on the decrease, it is imperative that we address lack of adequate water harvesting without further delay.” All over the Mediterranean agriculture is the largest user of water. A lack of water will therefore have a substantial impact on this sector. One must also add the impact of temperature increase on the crops which can be produced in this changing climate.

The final point which we spotlight today is the need for increased coastal protection. The Mediterranean mean sea level has risen by 60mm over the past twenty years. By the end of the century this could rise much further. Estimates vary between 430 and 840 mm although this could also be substantially higher in case of ice-sheet destabilisation. As an island it is crucial to address coastal protection, even in view of the fact that most of our tourism infrastructure lies along the coast.

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Nilqgħu għall-impatti tal-klima fuq il-gżejjer tagħna

Id-diskussjoni politika dwar it-tibdil fil-klima sa issa ħarset biss lejn il-kontroll tal-emissjonijiet tal-karbonju minħabba il-kontribut li dawn jagħtu għaż-żieda fit-temperatura dinjija. Meta indirizzaw konferenza tal-aħbarijiet ġewwa il-Belt Valletta is-Sibt wara nofsinhar, iċ-Chairperson tal-ADPD – The Green Party, il-Perit Carmel Cacopardo, u Dr Ralph Cassar, emfasizzaw li hemm bżonn li nibdew naraw ukoll l-impatti mifruxa fuq is-saħħa, il-biedja u il-ħażna tal-ilma kif ukoll il-ħtieġa urġenti li insaħħu il-protezzjoni tal-kosta biex tilqa’ għaż-żieda fil-livell tal-baħar fi żmien mhux ‘il-bogħod.

Ralph Cassar (kandidat fuq is-7 u l-11-il distrett) qal li tul din il-kampanja elettorali tkellimna l-aktar dwar x’miżuri jistgħu jittieħdu biex inaqqsu l-impatt mit-tibdil fil-klima, filwaqt li ipproponejna kif naslu għal żero-karbonju bis-saħħa ta’ bidla bil-mod lejn enerġija rinnovabbli li taqdi il-ħtiġijiet kollha tagħna. Fl-istess waqt il-klima diġà qegħda tinbidel u jrid jgħaddi ż-żmien biex il-miżuri jħallu l-effett tagħhom, meta jiġu implimentati. Sadanittant hemm numru ta’ setturi li bil-mod il-mod se jibdew jintlaqtu minn klima li ssir eqreb għal waħda tropikali.

Ta’ min isemmi li r-reġjun tal-Mediterran qiegħed jisħon 20% aktar mill-medja globali u dan għandu impatt konsiderevoli fuq il-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħna.

Carmel Cacopardo (kandidat fuq ir-4 u d-9 Distrett) qal li t-tibdil fil-klima diġà beda jħalli l-effetti tiegħu fuq is-saħħa b’diversi modi fosthom billi jwassal għal imwiet u mard bħala riżultat ta’ temp estrem bħal ngħidu aħna sħana kbira, maltempati iktar spissi u għargħar. Bla dubju dan se jolqot il-produzzjoni tal-ikel minħabba l-effetti fuq il-biedja kemm permezz ta’ żieda fit-temperatura kif ukoll bin-nuqqas ta’ ilma. Temperaturi iktar sħan jesponuna għal aktar mard. Dan jkompli jżid il-piż fuq is-servizzi tas-saħħa tagħna li għandhom jingħataw aktar riżorsi. L-iktar li ser jintlaqtu huma l-anzjani u l-vulnerabbli fostna. M’għandna l-ebda dubju dwar il-kapaċità tas-servizz tas-saħħa tagħna li jilqa’ għal din l-isfida. Meħtieġa iżda iktar riżorsi u strateġija ċara.

Il-Perit Cacopardo żied jgħid li għadna kemm qrajna li ir-rapport meteoroloġiku għal Frar indika li dan kien wieħed mill-iktar xotti – in fatti, mill-1 ta’ Settembru sa llum kellna inqas min-nofs ix-xita mistennija; 115.8 millimetru biss. Huwa importanti li l-ħażna ta’ l-ilma tax-xita tingħata l-importanza i jixirqilha – hemm bżonn li naħżnu iktar minn dan l-ilma qabel ma jispiċċa fil-baħar direttament jew mad-drenaġġ! Il-Korporazzjoni għas-Servizzi tal-Ilma u l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar għandhom jeżiġu li jkun hemm bjar fi proġetti ta’ żvilupp ġodda li jingħataw permess għal bini.

“Bl-ammont ta’ xita dejjem jonqos huwa importanti li nieħdu ħsieb il-ħażna tal-ilma tax-xita mingħajr aktar dewmien,” insista Cacopardo. Il-biedja tuża l-akbar ammont tal-ilma fil-Mediterran. Nuqqas ta’ ilma għalhekk żgur iħalli effetti sostanzjali fuq is-settur. Wieħed irid jara wkoll kif iż-żieda fit-temperatura se taffettwa dawk il-prodotti agrikoli li jistgħu jinżergħu f’din il-klima mibdula.

Fl-aħħarnett ta’ min wieħed isemmi il-ħtieġa urġenti li insaħħu il-protezzjoni tal-kosta. Il-livell tal-baħar Mediterran żdied b’60 mm fl-għoxrin sena li għaddew. Sa l-aħħar tas-seklu din iż-żieda tista’ tkun ferm ogħla. Hemm stimi li jvarjaw bejn 430 u 540 mm għalkemm dawn jistgħu jkunu maqbuża ferm iktar jekk ikun hemm ammont ta’ silġ li jdub. Bħala gżira huwa important li l-protezzjoni tal-kosta tissaħħaħ anke minħabba l-fatt li ħafna mill-infrastruttura turistika tagħna qegħda mal-kosta.