Environment: Minister defends climate record as Opposition MP flags mismanagement

A parliamentary debate on the Environment Ministry’s budget saw Environment Minister Miriam Dalli defend the government’s climate record, while Nationalist MP Mark Anthony Sammut accused the government of mismanagement, lack of planning, and political interference in state entities

The session formed part of Parliament’s ongoing scrutiny of the 2025 Budget estimates. MPs Rebekah Borg, Eve Borg Bonello, Mark Anthony Sammut (PN), and government MPs Ray Abela, Glenn Bedingfield, and Minister Miriam Dalli all took part in the debate.

Dalli rejected Opposition claims that the government had failed to address climate change in the Budget, insisting that it built upon Malta’s long-term climate strategy and ongoing projects.

“These are concrete actions on climate. Then the Leader of the Opposition comes here and tells us we didn’t mention climate change. I would like to know who on that side actually believed that,” she said.

The minister listed seven climate measures included in the Budget, among them continued investment in renewable energy, the transition to electric transport in Gozo, and a new organic waste processing plant. She also pointed to upcoming infrastructure projects such as the second interconnector and large-scale battery storage, describing them as “essential steps” toward Malta’s carbon-neutral goal.

Turning to land use, Dalli highlighted the decision to keep the White Rocks area as an open public space. “This is a strategic decision. We listened to people’s concerns,” she said, calling the move comparable in scale to the preservation of Manoel Island.

Opposition MP Mark Anthony Sammut used his speech to argue that the government’s management of the energy and utilities sector has been reactive rather than strategic. He criticised what he described as “management by crisis,” saying the administration only acted when systems collapsed.

“Fifteen years ago, Malta was the first Mediterranean country treating all its sewage before it was discharged into the sea. Now, in 2025, we are once again dumping untreated sewage. Have we moved forward or backward?” he asked, blaming population growth and lack of infrastructure planning for the strain on the system.

Sammut also pointed to the recent electricity blackouts and the state of Enemalta, warning that the national company risked losing €60 million through mismanaged carbon credit trades. He accused the government of withholding information from the public and only addressing the issue “after journalists exposed it.”

“The last audited accounts filed by Enemalta are for 2022. Why are the 2023 accounts still missing? Where is the transparency?” he asked.

He further called for a stronger and more independent energy regulator to protect consumers suffering from unstable voltage or service interruptions, arguing that many households “pay the same rates for poor-quality service.”