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Malta To Be At ‘Forefront’ In Creating Climate-Friendly Travel As SUNx Global Centre Sets Up Shop On The Island

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The government of Malta, through the Ministry for Tourism, has just partnered up with SUNx (Strong Universal Network) to “take the lead” in a global effort aimed at converting the threat of global climate change into an “opportunity”.

A new centre will be based in Malta, called the ‘Global Centre for Climate Friendly Travel’.

Its goal will be to launch a set of actions and opportunities to address this threat from the travel industry perspective, so Malta can become a ‘catalyst’ for global change.

“There is growing international consensus for a strong shift from talk to action. This is amply evidenced by the political action of the EU in raising the stakes these past few weeks by announcing the allocation of 1 in every 4 euro of the next budget to climate resilience,” Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi said today at a press conference announcing the new partnership.

Through this initiative, the government hopes to put Malta at the forefront of creating more climate-friendly travel.

Malta will become the home of SUNx – the Strong Universal Network – a global centre for Climate Friendly Travel following the targets of the Paris Agreement set in 2015.

At today’s press conference, the co-founder of SUNx, Professor Geoffrey Lipman, praised Malta’s historical tendency to battle and wage war against evils of the past, and said it was not time to address climate change in the same way.

“There could not be a better place to start this initiative, there could not be a better partner than you,” Lipman said of the Maltese government.

https://www.facebook.com/konradmizzi/videos/2326281697451171?sfns=mo

Malta will aim to deliver a number of initiatives designed to support the sector in its transformation. These include:

• An Annual State of the Sector “Climate Friendly Travel” Review which will be published within the context of the United Nations General Assembly alongside the UN Secretary General’s Climate Action Summit in September and will be circulated widely amongst industry players.

• An annual Malta Think Tank and Climate Friendly Travel Summit.

• A Plan for Our Kids to put 100,000 STRONG Climate Champions across all UN States by 2030. This is a public/private collaboration to engage graduate trainees to help deliver transformation in the front line.​

“The reality is that we have a climate crisis and that the scientists, the governments, and the next generation are demanding an increased ambition. Travel & Tourism is a pivotal part of human activity and has to be at the leading edge of change,” Lipman said.

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]

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