A serious environmental strategy requires a long-term vision because decisions concerning the environment – if implemented properly – require their due time to leave the desired results. Many studies carried out over the years have been ignored, or worse still the opposite of what had been recommended has been carried out. This was stated by ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo when addressing a press conference in front of the ERA offices in Marsa this morning.

ADPD – The Green Party Secretary General Dr Ralph Cassar mentioned that the observations that the party submitted on the National Strategy for the Environment 2050 that ERA published for public consultation includes proposals related to transport, renewable energy, Local Plans, waste, tourism and water use. We need to proceed urgently to the next stage: no more talk but specific action please.

Every industry should have a clear implementable plan for waste reduction and greater efficiency in the use of raw materials. All incentives, including fiscal ones, should be tied closely to energy efficiency, use of materials and based on zero-waste targets. It is ultimately Government’s responsibility to approve and implement the strategies put forward by state agencies. So it needs to get moving.

Dr Cassar highlighted how the strategy once again avoids to pinpoint examples of unsustainable developments such as the proposed Gozo airport, and the tunnel between Malta and Gozo; it fails to point out that it does not make sense to have a race track anywhere in Malta, let alone on land earmarked for industrial purposes,  especially considering the limitations of Malta’s land resource.

Finally, Dr Cassar mentioned that it is not acceptable that the documentation related to this strategy was published in English only. It is not right that Maltese has been completely ignored. An effective  discussion can take place also in Maltese.

Cacopardo said that there is no longer time available for never-ending discussions. It is well known that there is no political will for serious action with respect to environmental matters – from climate change, to pollution, traffic, land use and energy. It is Government’s duty to implement robust and effective measures . However, laws are futile if there are no penalties if they are not followed and if legal remedies are not available if the targets are not met. The solutions are well known, but all governments have failed to implement them. There are various  valid principles in the strategy, however the rather vague wording  means that it will probably remain simply words on paper, as we have seen with previous strategies.

The implementation of such a strategy is dependent on political will for it to be carried out, with well-defined targets and responsibilities, as well as the commitment of Government to make all the necessary resources available. Linked to this is the taxation system : incentives and fiscal disincentives should push towards the ecological transition and promote the necessary wellbeing for a better quality of life, and better urban and natural environments. Clientelism, nepotism and a ‘supermarket’ policy has let us to where we are today – we are in a climate emergency which leads to economic and social crises. We cannot continue to fight nature but need to work hand-in-hand with it.

We have had many consultations and reports over the years but all  governments have ignored the technical advice given, because the available political vision only extends to 4 or 5 years, that is from one election to the next. A serious environmental strategy requires a long-term vision – over at least 25 years. This is necessary because decisions concerning the environment – if implemented properly – require their due time to leave the desired results. This is  the only way that we would see the desired results, concluded Cacopardo.

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Ħarsien ambjentali: m’hemmx rieda tajba

Strateġija serja ambjentali teħtieġ viżjoni fit-tul, għax id-deċiżjonijiet ambjentali, meta jitwettqu sewwa u kif meħtieġ jieħdu ż-żmien biex jagħtu riżultat. Minkejja diversi studji li saru matul is-snin dawn ħafna drabi ġew injorati jekk mhux ukoll sar bil-maqlub ta’ dak li kien rakkomandat. Dan qalu ċ-Chairperson tal-ADPD – The Green Party Carmel Cacopardo meta indirizza konferenza stampa quddiem l-uffiċji tal-ERA fil-Marsa dalgħodu.

Is-Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ ADPD – The Green Party Dr Ralph Cassar qal li fost l-osservazzjonijiet li l-partit issottometta dwar l-istrateġija ambjentali 2050 maħruġa għall-konsultazzjoni pubblika mill-ERA jinkludu diversi proposti fosthom dwar it-trasport, l-enerġija rinnovabbli, il-Pjani Lokali, l-iskart, it-turiżmu u l-użu tal-ilma. L-istrateġija tuża ħafna l-kelma ‘inkoraġġiment’: bl-inkoraġġiment biss ma tasal imkien. Irridu ngħaddu mill-paroli għall-fatti.

Kull industrija għandu jkollha pjan ċar u obbligatorju dwar it-tnaqqis tal-iskart u effiċjenza fl-użu tal-materja prima. Kull inċentiv, inkluż dawk fiskali, għandu jkun marbut b’mod strett mal-effiċjenza enerġetika, tal-użu tal-materjal, u tal-miri żero-skart. Huwa l-Gvern li, fl-aħħar mill-aħħar, irid japprova u jimplimenta l-istrateġiji maħruġa mill-aġenziji tal-istat.

Dr Cassar semma kif għal darba oħra l-istrateġija tevita li tidentifika eżempji ta’ żvilupp mhux sostenibbli. Per eżempju ma jissemmiex kif kemm l-ajruport propost f’Għawdex, kif ukoll il-mina proposta taħt il-fliegu bejn Malta u Għawdex mhumiex sostenibbli; li t-trakka għat-tlielaq tal-karozzi m’hawnx postha f’Malta, u li art għal skopjijiet industrijali m’għandhiex tingħata għat-trakka, meta l-art f’Malta hija riżors tant skars.

Fl-aħħarnett, Dr Cassar saħaq ukoll li hu żball li d-dokumentazzjoni kollha dwar l-istrateġija hi bl-Ingliż. Mhux aċċettabbli li l-ilsien Malti jingħata l-ġemb. Id-diskussjoni, biex tkun effettiva, tista’ issir bil-Malti ukoll.

Il-Perit Cacopardo qal li ż-żmien għall-paroli ilu li għadda. Il-fatti juruna li m’hemmx rieda politika li tittieħed azzjoni bis-serjetà  dwar l-ambjent: mill-bidla fil-klima, sat-tniġġis, it-traffiku, l-użu tal-art u l-enerġija. Huwa d-dmir tal-Gvern li jwettaq inizjattivi b’saħħithom u effettivi. Il-liġijiet imma, huma inutili jekk ma jkunx hemm konsegwenzi u jekk ma hemmx rimedji legali għal meta dawn il-liġijiet u l-miri ma’ jintlaħqux. Is-soluzzjonijiet nafuhom, imma gvern wara ieħor naqas milli jimplimentahom. Anke l-istrateġija dwar l-ambjent, għalkemm fiha prinċipji tajbin, hija vaga u hemm riskju li tibqa’ biss inka fuq il-karta bħall-istrateġiji ta’ qabilha.

It-twettiq tal-istrateġija jiddependi fuq ir-rieda politika biex din titwettaq, b’miri u responsabilitajiet ċari u bir-riżorsi neċessarji kollha. Marbuta ma dan hemm is-sistema ta’ tassazzjoni: l-inċentivi u diżinċentivi fiskali ukoll jimbuttaw lejn it-tranżizzjoni ekoloġika u ta’ benesseri neċessarja għal kwalità tal-ħajja, ta’ ambjent urban u naturali aħjar. Il-klijenteliżmu, nepotiżmu u l-politika tas-supermarket waslet lill-pajjiż fl-istat li qiegħed fih illum.  Qegħdin fi kriżi tal-klima, li magħha ġġib kriżijiet ekonomiċi u soċjali. Ma nistgħux nibqgħu niġġieldu man-natura:jeħtieġ li nimxu id f’id magħha.  

Konsultazzjonijiet u rapporti kellna bosta imma gvern wieħed wara l-ieħor injora il-pariri tekniċi, u dan għax il-viżjoni politika tagħhom twassal sal-massimu ta’ 4 jew 5 snin, jiġifieri minn elezzjoni sa oħra. Strateġija serja ambjentali teħtieġ viżjoni fit-tul, viżjoni ta’ ħamsa u għoxrin sena, per eżempju. Dan hu meħtieġ għax id-deċiżjonijiet ambjentali, meta jitwettqu sewwa u kif meħtieġ jieħdu ż-żmien biex jagħtu riżultat. Huwa b’dan il-mod biss li nistgħu nibdew nagħmlu passi ‘l quddiem, temm jgħid Cacopardo.