L-iżbilanċ ambjentali

L-iżbilanċ ambjentali qiegħed dejjem jiżdied. Fid-diskors twil iżżejjed tiegħu meta ħabbar il-Baġit, il-Ministru tal-Finanzi Edward Scicluna dan il-fatt ma jagħtix kas tiegħu.

L-iżviluppaturi tal-propjetà, permezz tal-assoċjazzjoni tagħhom l-MDA esprimaw is-sodisfazzjon tagħhom dwar Baġit li għal darba oħra aċċetta l-proposti tagħhom biex l-iskemi ta’ inċentivi dwar tnaqqis ta’ taxxi marbuta max-xiri tal-propjetà jkunu estiżi. Il-Baġit jippreżenta dawn il-proposti b’libsa ta’ proposti soċjali. Fir-realtà huma miżuri kontra l-ambjent għax għandhom impatt dirett fuq iktar żvilupp ta’ art kif ukoll fuq l-intensifikazzjoni tal-iżvilupp fiż-żoni urbani tagħna.

It-turiżmu tal-Cruise liners huwa mfaħħar fid-diskors tal-Baġit. Il-Ministru Scicluna jentużjażma ruħu ftit iżżejjed meta jħabbar fid-diskors tiegħu li l-industrija tal-cruise liners f’Malta kibret b’75% tul dawn l-aħħar sitt snin. Il-Ministru Scicluna, probabbilment mhux konxju biżżejjed li l-industrija tal-cruise liners hi kontributur mhux żgħir fil-kontaminazzjoni tal-kwalità tal-arja.

Jeżistu diversi studji dwar l-impatti ambjentali tal-cruise liners fl-ibħra internazzjonali. Il-materja kienet mistħarrġa ukoll minn għaqda ambjentali lokali bl-għajnuna ta’ għaqda ambjentali Ġermaniża. Il-kampjuni tal-arja li ħadu mill-inħawi tal-Port il-Kbir jindikaw preżenza mhux żgħira ta’ partikoli mikroskopiċi fl-arja li qed jispiċċaw fil-pulmun ta’ dawk li jgħixu, jaħdmu inkella sempliċiment jgħaddu mil-lokalitajiet madwar il-Port il-Kbir. Bla dubju l-istess ħaġa insibuha f’Birżebbuġa bħala riżultat tal-operazzjonijiet tal-Port Ħieles.

Biex dan ikun indirizzat, soluzzjoni possibli tkun l-introduzzjoni ta’ obbligu li l-vapuri jagħmlu użu minn elettriku ġġenerat fuq l-art meta dawn ikunu mal-moll. Dwar dan diġa saru studji preliminari. L-istudji, iżda, mhumiex biżżejjed. Jirrikjedu ukoll id-disponibilità għall-azzjoni – disponibilità li presentement ma teżistix. L-istudju dwar il-Port il-Kbir sar fl-2014 filwaqt li dak dwar Birżebbuġa sar fl-2018. Dwar dan kollu d-diskors tal-Baġit hu sieket.

Il-Gvern għadu ma ħabbarx id-data li minnha ‘l-quddiem mhux ser ikun possibli li jkunu impurtati f’Malta karozzi li jaħdmu bil-petrol jew bid-diżil. Ġejna nfurmati li din id-data tista’ titħabbar fl-2020. It-tfassil tal-istrateġija tal-Gvern f’dan il-qasam qed tieħu fit-tul biex tieħu sura meta kien il-Prim Ministru nnifsu li ħabbarha iktar minn sentejn ilu. Ma hemm l-ebda serjetà fil-mod kif din l-istrateġija qed tkun imfassla. Il-materja mhix biss dwar li ma nimpurtawx iktar karozzi li jaħdmu bil-petrol jew bid-diżil.

Tinvolvi ukoll l-interess esaġerat kurrenti fl-iżvilupp ta’ pompi tal-petrol ġodda f’diversi inħawi ta’ Malta. Għax xi ħtieġa hemm għal iktar pompi tal-petrol meta d-deċiżjoni dwar l-elettrifikazzjoni tat-trasport privat qiegħed wara l-bieb? Moratorju immedjat dwar l-iżvilupp ta’ pompi tal-petrol ġodda kienet tkun deċiżjoni tajba u f’waqtha, meta hu aċċettat minn kulħadd li ma hemmx użu għalihom!

Il-Baġit, ifaħħar u jiftaħar bl-investiment massiċċ fl-infrastruttura tat-toroq. B’mod partikolari dwar mini jew fly-overs li x-xogħol dwarhom għaddej inkella qiegħed fi stadju avvanzat ta’ ippjanar.

Il-ġustifikazzjoni għal dan, minn dikjarazzjonijiet diversi li saru matul ix-xhur li għaddew, hi, biex tkun indirizzata l-konġestjoni tat-traffiku. Studji li saru madwar id-dinja kollha repetutament żvelaw li dawn it-tipi ta’ żviluppi fl-infrastruttura tat-toroq inevitabilment twassal għal-iktar traffiku.

Il-Minstru dan kollu jinjorah u jibqa’ jinsisti li jarmi daqstant miljuni ta’ ewro. Apparti li jgħarbel ftit l-esperjenza f’pajjiżi oħra, l-Onor. Ministru għandu jikkonsulta ruħu wkoll mal-Master-Plan għat-Trasport li tfassal taħt id-direzzjoni tal-Gvern li minnu jifforma parti u li b’mod mill-iktar ċar ifisser kif it-tnaqqis tal-karozzi privati mit-toroq tagħna hu għan essenzjali. Il-Ministru għall-Finanzi għandu jfittex li jkun jaf l-għaliex il-Gvern jitlob il-pariri u mbagħad dawn ikunu injorati.

Fl-aħħar il-Gvern irrealizza li hemm ħtieġa ta’ strateġija għal Green New Deal. Din hija strateġija li tindirizza l-impatti tat-tibdil fil-klima b’mod sostenibbli: ekonomikament, ekologikament u soċjalment. Imma biex strateġija ta’ dan ix-xorta tkun tagħmel sens, il-Gvern għandu, l-ewwel u qabel kollox iżarma l-istrateġiji li diġa għandu u li huma dijametrikament opposti għall-Green New Deal.

Ma jagħmilx sens, per eżempju, li filwaqt li l-Gvern repetutament jiddikjara ruħu favur il-ħtieġa tal-ħarsien ambjentali, imma mbagħad kontinwament joħroġ inċentivi biex jinkoraġixxi is-suq tal-propjetà. Lanqas ma jagħmel sens li jibqa’ għaddej bil-programm intensiv tal-iżvilupp tal-infrastruttura tat-toroq jew li jibqa’ għaddej bil-pjani dwar l-iżvilupp tal-mina bejn Malta u Għawdex li inevitabilment ser isservi biex iktar karozzi jaqsmu bejn il-gżejjer b’faċilità.

Flok l-għotjiet għax-xiri tal-batteriji għall-ħażna tal-elettriku ġġenerat mill-pannelli fotovoltajiċi kien ikun ferm aħjar kieku l-Gvern jagħti bidu għal investiment massiv biex ikun assigurat li s-sistema tad-distribuzzjoni tal-elettriku titjib għax hu b’dan li jista’ jkun aċċertat illi fid-djar tagħna jkun possibli li niġġeneraw iktar elettriku mix-xemx. In-nuqqas ta’ miżuri effettivi biex tkun iġġenerata iktar enerġija minn sorsi rinovabbli juru kemm mhu veru xejn li l-Gvern hu kommess favur t-tfassil u l-implimentazzjoni ta’ strateġija dwar il-Green New Deal.

Il-Ministru tal-Finanzi qed jgħaddina biż-żmien meta f’nifs wieħed jinsisti jitkellem dwar Għawdex bħala gżira ekoloġika filwaqt li jibqa’ jinsisti fuq “ħtieġa” għall-mina bejn il-gżejjer. Mina li ser taċċellera l-ħsara ambjentali fil-gżira Għawdxija.

L-iżbilanċ ambjentali qed jikber kontinwament, bla ebda kontroll ta’ xejn.

Ippubblikat fuq Illum: Il-Ħadd 20 ta’ Ottubru 2019

 

The environmental deficit

The environmental deficit is still rising and  the long-winded Budget speech by Finance Minister Edward Scicluna last Monday did not address it.

Through the MDA, their association, property developers have expressed satisfaction at the Budget as, once more, it has taken up their proposals intended to further extend tax incentive schemes linked to the purchase of property. The budget presents these measures as being of a social nature when, in fact, that are anti-environmental measures because their direct impact is the take-up of more land as well as additional pressure on the intensification of the development of our urban areas.

Cruise liner tourism comes in for substantial praise in the Budget speech. Minister Scicluna was over-enthusiastic in announcing that there has been a 75 per cent  increase in the cruise liner industry in Malta over the last six years. He may not be sufficiently aware that the cruise liner industry is a substantial contributor to the degradation of air quality. Various studies have been carried out on the environmental impacts of cruise liners on the high seas and the subject has also been studied by a local environmental NGO with the support of their German counterparts.

Their studies revealed that air samples taken from the Grand Harbour area indicte the presence of a high level of microscopic particulate matter, which is ending in the respiratory systems of those living, working or passing through this area. Similar issues undoubtedly exist in Birżebbuġa as a result of the operations of the Freeport.

A possible solution to address this problem  is the introduction of a compulsory shore-to-ship electricity supply – in respect of which preliminary studies have already been carried out. The studies, however, are not enough. They require a commitment to act – a commitment is currently non-existent. The studies date back to 2014 in respect of the Grand Harbour and to 2018 in respect of Birżebbuġa.

The government has not yet announced the cut-off date for the importation of cars running on petrol and diesel. We were informed that it may be announced some time in 2020. The government strategy in this respect is taking too long too formulate – given that it was announced by the Prime Minister over two years ago.

There is alack of seriousness about the manner in which this issue is being addressed. It  does not just involve determining when no more vehicles running on petrol or diesel will be imported; it also involves the current acute interest in the development of new fuel service stations in various parts of the island. Why do we need such fuel service stations if electrification of private transport is around the corner? An immediate moratorium on the development of new fuel service stations would have been quite appropriate, given that it is accepted by one and all that there will be no use for them!

In addition, the budget praises the heavy investment in road infrastructure, in particular the construction fly-overs and tunnels, the construction of which are either already in hand or else at an advanced state of planning. The justification for this, as has been made through various statements over the months, is to address the ever-increasing traffic congestion.

Studies carried out all over the world have repeatedly revealed that such developments in the road infrastructure inevitably leads to more traffic. Minster Scicluna ignores this experience from other countries and keeps insisting in channelling millions of euros down the drain. He should consult the Transport Master-Plan, drawn up under the direction of his own government, which clearly lists the reduction of the number of vehicles on our roads as an essential objective. The Finance Minister should query why his government commissions experts for their advice which it then ignores.

The Government has, at last realised that it needs a ‘Green New Deal’ strategy – a strategy which addresses the impacts of climate change sustainably, economically, ecologically and socially. But for such a strategy to make sense, it should first dismantle its existing strategies which are in direct opposition to a ‘Green New Deal’.

It does not make sense, for example, for the Government to declare the need to protect the environment and then hands out all sorts of incentives to encourage the property market. Nor does it make sense to keep to its programme of intensive development of the road infrastructure, or to keep pushing for the development of a tunnel between Malta and Gozo, which will only serve the free movement of more cars between the islands.

Instead of grants for batteries to store electricity generated through solar panels, it would have been much better had the Government embarked on a massive investment to ensure a better distribution network of electricity, as this would – of itself – increase the potential for the generation of more renewable energy by households. The lack of effective measures to generate more energy from renewable sources clearly shows that Government is not really committed to drafting and implementing a real ‘Green New Deal’ strategy.

The Minister of Finance is taking everybody for a ride when, on the one hand he speaks of Gozo as an ecological island and then, on the other, keeps insisting on the ‘need’ for a tunnel between the islands, – which will only serve to accelerate the environmental degradation of Gozo.

The environmental deficit is clearly out of control.

 

published on The Malta Independent on Sunday 20 October 2019

Echo-Gozo : a race to be green

published on August 23, 2008

by Carmel Cacopardo

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

sunrise at Marsalforn

 

Since early 2007, when a PN commissioned survey indicated that 31 per cent of the electorate identified itself with tiny AD on environmental issues (compared with 32 per cent for the PN and 21 per cent for the MLP) it has been a race against time for the PN trying to be green. Trying to make up for lost time it took many a leaf out of the AD book: one being that relative to eco-Gozo.

For Gozo to achieve the status of an ecological island it needs to embark on the sustainable development path. This will be achieved only by matching walk to talk.

Last month the Minister for Gozo launched a public consultation intended to give flesh to the government’s eco-Gozo proposal. The minister is maybe unaware that the blue plan for eco-Gozo has already been drawn up by the stakeholders and approved by Cabinet after extensive consultation! It is titled “A Sustainable Development Strategy for the Maltese Islands”. On reading through it she will find clear directions which she should follow.

The concept of an ecological island is a vision that Gozo can be alive and kicking but not antagonistic to its ecology and life support systems. It must accept that humankind is part of an ecological system to which it is ethically bound to acquiesce. It does not mean returning to the Ġgantija era but rather that the manner the economy and social structures are organised and developed must be compatible with ecology.

The waste transfer station may be an important element in attaining this vision but it must be a holistic vision. Unfortunately this has not yet started coalescing.

Eco-Gozo could set a zero-waste target: nothing is thrown away but everything is reused or recycled. But waste is not just the solids which end up in Tal-Kus for transfer to the mainland, but also includes the liquids that transit through San Blas on their way to the waste water recycling plant and eventual discharge into the sea. An eco-Gozo would reuse all of its treated water, ensuring that its treatment is compatible with its intended use.

An eco-Gozo would also ensure that it errs on the side of caution in dealing with resources. Even at this late hour it can halt the Church in Gozo from developing a new cemetery which is playing havoc with the livelihood of Għajn Qasab farmers at Nadur. An eco-Gozo would undoubtedly realise that place names containing the semitic word “Għajn” (meaning spring) indicate a source of water flowing naturally and worthy of protection.

An eco-Gozo would strive to generate as much as is possible of its energy needs through renewable sources. This is achievable through the use of wind energy, supplemented by solar energy and energy generated through waste, including animal waste. But most of all it can be saved through energy efficiency measures in homes and other buildings.

An ecological island would ban the use of pesticides and lead its agriculture along the organic path. Its agricultural products would be healthier to consume and its water table would be less polluted. Farmers need the assistance of agricultural pharmacists to gradually decrease the pesticides in use until they can do without them altogether.

An ecological island would ensure that the ecological sites which form part of the EU Natura 2000, like Il-Qortin il-Kbir at Nadur, and those which are of great importance to the island, like Ta’ Ċenċ, are properly protected, managed and monitored. It would also ensure that declarations already made favouring the rape of Ħondoq ir-Rummien are withdrawn.

An eco-Gozo through efficient public transport would provide a reliable alternative to private cars, thereby encouraging their reduction in use. As a result it would also encourage the use of bicycles, which are surely suitable to cover the short distances between the various villages in Gozo. It would also realise that the construction industry must apply the brakes immediately. Gozo holds the national record on vacant properties: 47.66% of properties in Gozo were vacant in 2005 (9,762 out of 20,481 properties). An eco-Gozo faced with this fact would undoubtedly insist that the community can satisfy its residential needs from existing housing stock.

It takes much more than rhetoric to transform an echo to the real thing! It requires commitment and consistency. One cannot flirt with environmentalists while being consistently on the side of developers. Running with the hares does not make it possible to hunt with the hounds! In crystal clear language, a political party which seeks the support of opposing lobbies is not credible because it transmits the message of opportunism.

Throwing money at problems does not solve them. But consistency will, through the weeding out of contradictory stances and the adoption of a holistic approach. Green credentials of political parties are the result of a moral conviction, not of political convenience.

Għawdex : Gżira ekoloġika (2)

 

 

Il-ġimgħa l-oħra attendejt għall-forum ċiviku organizzat mill-uffiċċju tal-Parlament Ewropew f’Malta dwar l-idea ta’ Gżira ekoloġika.

 

Ġa ktibt f’dan il-blog dwar is-suġġett iżda naħseb li jkun utli li nikteb iktar.

 

L-idea ta’ Għawdex bħala gżira ekologika nibtet waqt żjara tal-Ministru tal-Ambjent Taljan  u ġiet inkluża fil-manifest elettorali tal-AD għal Għawdex.  Għoġbot lill-PN ukoll għax inkludiha fil-programm elettorali tiegħu.

 

S’issa nkitbu  żewġ artikli dwar dan il-forum.

 

Tajjeb li nitkellmu iktar dwar xi jfisser li Għawdex ikun gżira ekoloġika.

 

Fi ftit kliem ifisser li l-ħidma kollha li ssir f’Għawdex tkun organizzata b’mod li din tagħmel l-inqas impatt possibli fuq l-eko-sistema.  Allura tfisser, fost oħrajn li :

a)      jsir sforz biex jiġi ġġenerat l-ikbar ammont possibli ta’ enerġija minn sorsi li jiġġeddu, mix-xemx, mir-riħ, mill-iskart, mill-ħmieġ tal-annimali bħall-baqar u l-ħnieżer ………

b)      li naħżnu u nużaw l-ilma tax-xita bil-għaqal u b’hekk nevitaw li nużaw iktar mill-ilma tal-pjan,

c)      isir iktar investiment biex bħala riżultat tal-proċess tat-tisfija tad-drenaġġ l-ilma riżultanti jkun jista’ jerġa’ jintuża, 

d)      nnaqqsu t-tniġġiż tal-arja billi nnaqqsu l-użu ta’ karozzi privati,

e)      illi nużaw it-trasport pubbliku u mezzi alternattivi ta’ transport bħall-bicycles, kif ukoll transport li jaħdem bl-elettriku,

f)        biex (d) u (e) jkunu possibli jeħtieġ riforma tat-trasport pubbliku f’Għawdex biex dan issibu f’kull ħin u mhux kif inhu bħalissa,

g)      jkun hemm bicycles lanes fit-toroq kollha,

h)      li tkun inkoraġġita l-biedja organika,

i)   li napprezzaw iktar il-valur tal-biodiversita’,

j)   li nnaqqsu l-iskart li niġġeneraw, u li dak iġġenerat nagħmlu ħilitna biex nirriċiklawh – inkluż li nipproduċu enerġija elettrika minnu fejn possibli,

k)       insibu użu għall-bini li għandna vojt flok ma nħallu iktar art tinbena,

l)        niżviluppaw l-eko-turiżmu,

m)  ma jkunux inkoraġġiti proġetti li huma ta’ ħsara ambjentali u dan f’isem żvilupp dubjuż bħal dak ta’ Ħondoq ir-Rummien,

n)    nużaw taxi ambjentali biex ikun inkoraġġit li jkun hemm bdil ta’ attitudnijiet.

 

Hemm ħafna affarijiet li jista’ jagħmilhom il-Gvern. Ħafna oħrajn li rridu nagħmluhom aħna. Kull wieħed minna. Pero’ huma kollha affarijiet li jridu jsiru. L-ewwel f’Għawdex imbagħad f’Malta ukoll.

 

Nittama biss li jkun hemm il-volonta’ li jsir dak kollu li hu meħtieġ.

Gozo an ecological island – 2 articles

These two articles could make an interesting read :

The Malta Independent on Sunday

6 June 2008 – Gozo an Ecological Island ? You must be Joking. by Noel Grima

The Times

12 June 2008 – Business Supplement : Gozo-Ecological Island by Sabine Cassar-Alpert

 

Addendum

You can also see the post dated 31 May 2008 entitled : The non ecological island on Sabine Cassar Alpert’s blog

Għawdex Gżira ekoloġika

 

Ħadt pjaċir il-bieraħ fil-għaxija nieħu sehem fil-Forum għaċ-Ċittadin organizzat mill-uffiċċju tal-Parlament Ewropew f’Malta. Tkellmet Gisela Kallenbach Membru tal-Parlament Ewropew tal-European Greens. He tkellmet  dwar l-idea ta’ Għawdex bħala gżira ekoloġika.

 

Din hi idea li tkellmet dwarha għall-ewwel darba l-Alternattiva Demokratika u iktar tard il-Partit Nazzjonalista inkluda proposta dwar Għawdex bħala gżira ekoloġika fil-programm elettorali tiegħu għall-elezzjoni tal-2008.

 

L-ambjent m’hu monopolju ta’ ħadd u iktar ma jkun hemm min jaqbel u jaddotta ideat għal titjib ambjentali, tagħna u ta’ ħaddieħor, tant aħjar.

 

Il-kunċett ta’ gżira ekoloġika hu wieħed sempliċi. Li l-ħidma kollha li ssir fuq il-ġżira ta’ Għawdex tkun sostenibbli. Issa fir-realta dan ma jgħoddx għal Ghawdex biss, imma għal Malta ukoll !

 

Kallenbach emfasizzat fuq il-ħtieġa li jkun hemm ħidma integrata, jiġifieri li ma nippjanawx bil-biċċiet. Meta nippjanaw xi ħaġa nassiguraw ruħna li nkunu tajna każ u ħadna ħsieb tal-aspetti kollha tagħha.

 

L-attendenza għal dan il-forum kienet kkaratterizzat mill-presenza ta’ kwantita kbira ta’ residenti barranin.

 

Ħafna tkellmu dwar l-ilma, il-biedja organika, t-trasport sostenibbli, l-enerġija alternattiva u dwar bosta oqsma oħra fil-ħajja ta’ kuljum. Il-messaġġ bażiku kien wieħed dwar il-ħtieġa li nimxu fit-triq ta’ sostenibilita.

Runway għal Għawdex ?

 

 

 

Donnu li d-diskussjoni dwar runway għal Għawdex qatt ma tieqaf.

 

L-argument li qiegħed jinġieb huwa li hu ferm iktar ekonomiku li topera b’ajruplan żgħir li jġorr madwar 19-il ruħ milli b’helicopter. Allura xi piloti u oħrajn midħla tal-industrija qed jipproponu runway ta’ 1000 metru. Qed jgħidu li dan jibbenefika lit-turiżmu !

 

Interessanti li xi ħadd jispjega kif dan jinkwadra fil-pjan ta’ trasformazzjoni ta’ Għawdex fi gżira ekologika. Mhux aħjar li jsir sforz ikbar biex Għawdex isir ċentru ta’ turiżmu sostenibbli ? X’qiegħed isir biex ikun sviluppat l-agrituriżmu f’Għawdex ? Diġa jeżisti imma fuq skala żgħira. Imma ma jidhirx li hemm l-ebda inkoraġġiment mill-awtorita. Għax l-emfasi qegħda fuq it-turiżmu tal-lukandi.

 

 

Jinġiebu ħafna argumenti fuq airstips f’Lampedusa, Pantalleria u l-Gżejjer Griegi, imma ma jgħidux illi dawn huma l-bogħod mhux ħażin mill-eqreb art. Imbagħad wara kollox issa beda jaħdem l-airplane. Mhux aħjar naraw ftit kif jista’ jitjieb dan is-servizz bl-inqas impatti ambjentali, milli nippruvaw neqirdu iktar raba’ ?  Ma nqerditx biżżejjed matul is-snin ?

 

 

Imbagħad hemm argument ieħor li ftit jitkellmu dwaru. Malta u Għawdex kemm jifilħu turisti ? L-infrastruttura tagħna tiflaħ il-kwantita ta’ turisti li nitkellmu dwarha?

 

Ejja naraw ftit x’nifhmu b’turiżmu sostenibbli. Xi jfisser fir-realta’ għalina ilkoll. Mhux għal Għawdex biss, iżda għal Malta ukoll.