Nearly 50% Of Maltese People Find It Difficult To Access Green Spaces Compared To 9% In The Rest Of EU
According to the latest report from the European Commission’s Special Eurobarometer on climate change, a shocking 49% of Maltese residents find it challenging to access green spaces, compared to just 9% of people across the rest of Europe.
The disparity highlights the urgent need for improved urban planning and increased green initiatives in Malta.
The survey was conducted May this year, through face-to-face and online interviews with 504 Maltese respondents.
It addressed various facets of climate change, including its severity, actions taken to combat it, and access to natural environments.
The report also reveals that 93% of Maltese respondents consider climate change a very serious issue.
This percentage has seen a significant 7% increase since 2021, compared to a mere 1% decrease in EU27, the average across the European Union’s 27 member states.
The report also shows that the Maltese people are not only highly aware of the climate crisis but are also willing to take action to combat it, with 74% saying they had taken steps to fight climate change in the past six months.
Despite this high level of awareness and action, access to green spaces in Malta is notably lacking compared to the rest of Europe. The survey asked residents about their accessibility to nature and green spaces, and the responses were troubling.
Nearly half (49%) of the Maltese residents found it difficult to access these spaces, whereas only 9% of the residents across the rest of Europe reported the same problem.
Access to green spaces is crucial for both ecological and human health. Green spaces provide essential habitats for a variety of plant and animal species, contributing to biodiversity. For humans, access to nature has been associated with better mental and physical health, and improved quality of life.
The findings also reveal that a higher percentage of Maltese residents (77%) believe that their national government is not doing enough to tackle climate change, compared to the EU27 average of 67%.
Furthermore, a total of 74% completely agree that greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced to a minimum and the remaining emissions offset, for instance, by increasing forested areas, to make the EU economy climate-neutral by 2050.
Do you think you can access green spaces easily?