Environmental lobbies call for immediate halt of fossil fuel infrastructure investments

The environmental lobby called for an immediate halt to fossil fuel infrastracture investment in Malta, and for investment to be made into renewable sources.

Environmental NGOs presented nine environmental demands to all the 2022 election candidates and political parties, in view of what they called “the rampant degradation of our natural and built environments”. 

The first demand they presented is the entrenchment of environmental protection, guardianship and the environmental rights of future generations, into the Maltese Constitution.  

“This constitutional right should allow all citizens the right to challenge the state or any public or private entity for enacting, implementing, enforcing or lack of it, laws, projects and actions that threaten this very clause,” the eNGOs said. 

Another demand was for the prioritisation of public and active transport modes through investment in direct, frequent and realiable public transport connections and infrastracture for walking and cycling. They said the priority should be to reduce the number of cars from the road. 

They called for a reform into the Planning Authority board, ensuring political independence and for the granting of veto power for the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and Environmental Resources Authority in application decisions. 

Another demand was for the conclusion and publication of the 2020 Draft Rural Policy and Design Guidance.  “To protect public right of way on footpaths that have been open historically, while respecting the rights of land owners or tenants and creating  a database and map with information on land ownership and publicly accessible roads and footpaths.”   

They also highlighted a need for an increase to the proportion of land enjoying full environmental protection and for the establishment of new areas for full nature conservation. 

Another call was for authorities to provide the resources to adequately enforce and protect the marine environment against overfishing and illegal fishing activities, anchoring and dumping. 

“The impacts and consequences to the marine habitat and its biodiversity needs to be prioritised in any marine-based infrastructure and land reclamation projects,” they said. 

They called for the creation of mechanisms that ensure that agricultural land remains in the hands of farmers and that they are not evicted from their lands. Furthermore they called for 25% of agricultural land to become organic by 2030 and for a reduction of synthetic pesticide use by 80% by 2030. 

In a bid to tackle food waste, they called for legislative changes along with incentives for supermarkets and food importers and distributors to minimise food waste and to channel food that would end up in the waste stream to food banks. 

“To implement at the earliest an obligatory waste separation regime for domestic and commercial waste, and implement a strategy to minimise waste packaging. This should be supported by strengthened enforcement of existing rules,” they said. 

The demands have been put together by BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Nature Trust-FEE Malta, Ramblers Association of Malta.  They were endorsed by Extinction Rebellion Malta, Għawdix, Moviment Graffitti, Rota, The 'Grow 10 Trees' Project, Wirt Għawdex and Żminijietna - Voice of the Left.