Nationalist Party calls on government to declare climate emergency
The Nationalist Party is calling on the government to declare a climate emergency. Earlier this week, The Malta Independent reported that the party presented a motion in Parliament proposing the establishment of a National Emergency Committee for Climate Change.
“The environment has to be at the heart of our policies, and we cannot continue harming our environment, as harming the environment is harming the future of our children,” said Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia yesterday.
During a press conference yesterday, Delia, along with PN MPs Jason Azzopardi and David Agius, highlighted that the Nationalist Party will be tabling a motion in Parliament next week requesting the government to declare a climate change emergency.
“Other countries, such as Ireland and Australia have already declared a climate emergency, they are aware that time is running out and we must take a stand. Malta should be responsible and have stable laws on combating climate change.”
Delia said that after Antarctica, the second region to be heavily impacted by climate change is the Mediterranean. “We are in the middle of the Mediterranean and in the centre of this radical change.” He pointed out that Malta has fallen short of its EU air pollution targets and is one of the worst performers in reaching climate change targets.
He said that pollution generated by cruise ships in Maltese ports is around 148 times higher than the pollution generated by all the vehicles found in Maltese roads. “It is estimated that 283,000 vehicles generate 3.4 tonnes of sulphur oxides, while 83 cruise liners which visited Malta last year generated 502.8 tonnes.” Delia said that air pollution in Malta is estimated by the EU to cost over €182 million in healthcare costs and 44,000 days of lost work due to avoidable respiratory diseases. “More Maltese are dying because of respiratory problems and the quality of life is weakening. The environment should be the interest of everyone and that is why we are calling for a Climate emergency.”
Several environmental measures included in PN budget
The pre-budget document the PN issued in September contains several measures to strengthen environmental protection, they said. “The environment has no place in party politics, and we must all play our part in safeguarding it.”
The first proposal Delia mentioned was the introduction of a legal right for actio popolaris on environmental matters.
“This will give every individual the right to be able to make a legal case for environmental matters at court,” explained PN MP Jason Azzopardi.
Azzopardi mentioned that there should also be the creation of a digital platform open to all to share and exchange ideas on the environment and environmental studies.
“There must also be the imposition of reasonable time frames within which a project must be completed. There are residential roads which have a tower crane which has been there for months, sometimes years.”