Sustainable Development: We need to move from strategies to action

Government regularly publishes many plans and strategies, but then we see little action to actually implement these strategies. On the contrary, strategies are often published but then the required action plans and funding never actually materialise: worse than that, government actually contradicts its own strategies and declared policies and does the exact opposite. ADPD – The Green Party speakers addressed these issues during a press conference in Fleur-de-Lys, Birkirkara on Saturday morning.

During the press conference the speakers referred to the draft Sustainable Development Strategy 2050.

ADPD – The Green Party Secretary General Dr. Ralph Cassar emphasized the point that political discourse in Malta has become populist, where the main strategy of most politicians is preserving the status quo and resisting change. When it comes to sustainable development, there is an urgent need for difficult decisions that will however ultimately lead to the necessary changes for a better quality of life. But we are in a situation were even a government that seems to be electorally strong, still doesnt gave the backbone to carry out the necessary reforms. One of the areas in which government peddles populist policy is the free reign it gives to private cars. Although the sustainable development strategy seeks to address car dependency, on the other hand the government constantly encourages traffic and cars, and invests very little in roads that discourage traffic and encourage alternative transport. Government’s own transport strategy shows that half of the journeys made by private cars are for distances that take less than fifteen minutes travel time.

Ralph Cassar noted that the strategy also mentions that the government is committed to funding the research necessary for our country to reach the goals of a zero-carbon economy. But it remains a fact that investment in research in Malta is among the lowest in the European Union. In 2020 Malta spent 0.7% of the Gross Domestic Product, when the EU average was 2.3%.

The strategy also mentions the use of water and awareness campaigns on its wise use. But the time has come for effective measures. One measure is enforcement on the illegal disposal of water from roofs into the sewers. This water must somehow be collected or stored. A shameful target that also finds itself in the strategy is that of a risible 11.5% renewable energy by 2030. This government, like its predecessors, has not yet understood the urgency of a drastic reduction in our dependence on interconnectors and gas.

It is also good that the deposit system has finally been introduced on water bottles, and other drinks both in cans and in glass. This scheme helps in strategic goal1 objective 2 of the strategy. This system should discourage the use and excessive consumption particularly of bottled water. There are far more sustainable alternatives to bottled water – whatever the material of the bottles. Despite the pressure of some who apparently are not aware about what happens in countries much more advanced than us, this system should remain and if consumption does not decrease, the deposit, especially on plastic should increase. The effort required to redeem deposits and a high deposit are ideal economic tools to change consumer behaviour, and for producers to find other ways to serve their customers. The ultimate goal is the reduction in the consumption of products and use of material – whatever the packaging material. We will wait and see how committed the government is to really reduce the use of resources and not give in to pressure and populism.

ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo added that a number of goals in the strategy are clearly explained, such as those on climate, waste, purchasing with environmental criteria, air quality, biodiversity, learning for life, digitalization and the need for educational assistance to migrant students, among others. But at the end of the day nice words need to be translated into action. Government and Ministers however seem to be afraid to explain to people what needs to be done, even because of their own populist ‘do nothing’ rhetoric.

One area missing from the strategy, except for some general comments, are matters concerning land use. Land is a scarce resource for us and in several circumstances is misused, contrary to the public interest. Minister Miriam Dalli in the introduction of the strategy says that it focuses on existing deficiencies, but for some reason the major deficiencies in land use are not considered important enough, otherwise, worse than that, they are being considered as something positive!

Carmel Cacopardo recalled how existing open spaces in our urban areas and villages are under continuous attack, including some large private gardens. They are under siege by speculators who are constantly afforded the red carpet treatment by government. He said that there is also very little reference to the importance of protecting agricultural land from speculators. Although Miriam Dalli boasts of an expenditure of €700 million in open spaces, in the same breath large open spaces are constantly being lost, a result of the failure of land use planning.

With all these shortcomings, the value of the proposed strategy on sustainable development is limited. It would be more useful to redraft it.

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Żvilupp Sostenibbli: Minn strateġiji hemm bżonn ngħaddu għall-azzjoni

Il-Gvern jippubblika ħafna pjanijiet u strateġiji, imma mbagħad ftit naraw azzjoni biex dawn l-istrateġiji attwalment jitwettqu. Anzi ħafna drabi jiġu pubblikati strateġiji imma mbagħad il-pjanijiet ta’ azzjoni u l-finanzjament għalihom ma jaslu qatt: wisq agħar minn hekk meta l-affarijiet isiru bil-maqlub. Dan qaluh kelliema ta’ ADPD – The Green Party waqt konferenza stampa fi Fleur-de-Lys, Birkirkara s-Sibt filgħodu.

Waqt il-konferenza stampa l-kelliema irreferew għall-abbozz tal-Istrateġija dwar l-Iżvilupp Sostenibbli 2050.

Is-Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ ADPD – The Green Party, Dr Ralph Cassar emfasizza l-punt li d-diskors politiku f’Malta sar wieħed populista fejn l-emfasi hija li kollox jibqa’ kif inhu biex ma jurtaw lil ħadd. Fejn jidħol l-iżvilupp sostenibbli, hemm il-bżonn ta’ deċizjonijiet iebsa li fl-aħħar mill-aħħar jwasslu għall-bidla meħtieġa għal kwalità ta’ ħajja aħjar. Iżda anke gvern li jidher li huwa b’saħħtu elettoralment xorta mhux lest jwettaq ir-riformi meħtieġa. Qasam minnhom huwa l-użu tal-karozzi privati. Għalkemm l-istrateġija dwar l-iżvilupp sostenibbli tfittex li tkun indirizzata id-dipendenza fuq il-karozzi, min-naħa l-oħra l-gvern kontinwament jinkoraġixxi t-traffiku u l-karozzi, u ftit li xejn jinvesti f’toroq li jiskoraġixxu t-traffiku u jinkoraġixxu trasport alternattiv. Infakkru li l-istrateġia tal-gvern stess dwar it-trasport turi li nofs il-vjaġġi li nagħmlu bil-karozzi privati huma għal distanzi li jieħdu inqas minn ħmistax-il minuta.

Ralph Cassar innota li l-istrateġija ssemmi wkoll li l-gvern huwa mpenjat li jiffinanzja r-riċerka meħtieġa biex pajjiżna jilħaq il-miri ta’ ekonomija żero-karbonju. Iżda jibqa’ fatt li l-investiment fir-riċerka f’Malta huwa fost l-aktar baxx fl-Unjoni Ewropea. Fl-2020 Malta nefqet 0.7% tal-Prodott Gross Domestiku, meta l-medja tal-UE kienet 2,3%.

L-istrateġija ssemmi wkoll l-użu tal-ilma u kampanji ta’ għarfien dwar l-użu bilgħaqal tiegħu. Iżda wasal iż-żmien għal miżuri effettivi. Miżura waħda hija infurzar fuq ir-rimi illegali tal-ilma mill-bjut fis-sistema tad-drenaġġ. Dan l-ilma għandu b’xi mod jinġabar jew jinħażen. Mira tal-mistħija li terġa ssib ruħha fl-istrateġija hija dik tal-miżerja ta’ 11.5% enerġija rinovabbli sal-2030. Il-gvern, bħal ta’ qablu għadu ma fehmx l-urġenza li nnaqsu iżjed d-dipendenza fuq l-interconnectors u l-gass.

Huwa tajjeb ukoll li fl-aħħar daħlet is-sistema tad-depożitu fuq il-fliexken tal-ilma, u xorb ieħor kemm fil-laned kif ukoll fil-ħġieġ. Din l-iskema tgħin fil-mira numru 1, objettiv numru 2 tal-istrateġija. Din is-sistema għandha tiskoraġġixxi l-użu u x-xiri eċċessiv partikolarment tal-ilma ibbottiljat. Hemm alternattivi ferm aktar sostenibbli għall-ilma fil-fliexken – ikun xi jkun il-materjal tal-fliexken. Minkejja l-pressjoni ta’ xi wħud li mid-dehra mhux kapaċi jaraw x’jiġri f’pajjiżi ferm aktar avvanzati minna, din is-sistema għandha tibqa’ u jekk il-konsum ma jonqosx id-depożitu, speċjalment fuq il-plastik għandu jiżdied. L-iskariċċ u depożitu għoli huma għodda ekonomika ideali biex tinbidel l-imġiba tal-konsumatur, u biex il-produtturi jsibu modi oħra biex jaqdu lill-klijenti tagħhom. Il-mira aħħarija hija t-tnaqqis fil-konsum ta’ kull materjal. Nistennew u naraw kemm il-gvern huwa kommess li verament inaqqas l-użu tar-riżorsi u ma jċedix għall-pressjoni.

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party, Carmel Cacopardo żied jgħid li numru ta’ miri huma spjegati b’mod ċar, bħall-klima, skart, xiri bi kriterji ambjentali, kwalità tal-arja, bijodiversità, tagħlim għall-ħajja, diġitalizzazzzjoni u l-ħtieġa ta’ għajnuna edukattiva lil studenti migranti, fost oħrajn. Iżda xorta waħda hemm bżonn li dan il-kliem sabiħ fl-aħħar mill-aħħar jissarraf f’azzjoni. Il-gvern u l-Ministri bħallikieku jibżgħu jispjegaw lin-nies x’hemm bżonn isir biex jevitaw li jirfsu l-kalljiet.

Min-naħa l-oħra, per eżempju, ħlief għal xi kummenti ġenerali ftit li xejn hemm direzzjoni dwar materji li jikkonċernaw l-użu tal-art. Riżorsa għalina skarsa u f’diversi ċirkustanzi użata ħażin kontra l-interess pubbliku. Il-Ministru Miriam Dalli fl-introduzzjoni tal-istrateġija tgħid li din tiffoka fuq nuqqasijiet eżistenti, iżda għal xi raġuni n-nuqqasijiet kbar fl-użu tal-art mhux meqjusa bħala importanti biżżejjed, inkella, agħar minn hekk, qed jitqiesu bħala li huma xi ħaġa tajba!.

Carmel Cacopardo fakkar kif spazji miftuħa eżistenti fiż-żoni urbani u l-irħula tagħna jinsabu taħt attakk kontinwu, inkluż ġonna privati, uħud kbar. Dawn huma taħt assedju mill-ispekulaturi li huma kontinwament aġevolati mill-gvern. Qal li ftit li xejn, hemm referenza għall-importanza li tinħadem l-art agrikola u li din ukoll tiġi protetta mill-ispekulaturi. Għalkemm Miriam Dalli tiftaħar b’nefqa ta’ €700 miljun fi spazji miftuħa, fl-istess nifs qegħdin jintilfu kontinwament spazji miftuħa kbar, riżultat tal-falliment tal-ippjanar fl-użu tal-art.

B’dawn in-nuqqasijiet is-siwi tal-istrateġija proposta dwar l-iżvilupp sostenibbli hu wieħed limitat. Ikun iktar utli li din titfassal mill-ġdid.

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