Soaring Temperatures And Power Outages: A Wake Up Call For Climate Action
As Malta experienced searing heatwave temperatures exceeding 40 °C for days and debilitating power cuts, the grim reality of climate change has become indisputably clear.
This week, Prime Minister Robert Abela acknowledged that climate change impacts, previously warned about by experts, are happening at a faster rate than anticipated, emphasising that the nation must adapt to this new climate reality.
Climate change, largely caused by human activities, is devastating ecosystems, environments, and human lives through intensified storms, floods, heatwaves, and droughts. The repercussions of extreme heatwaves on human health are particularly concerning.
Recent research published in the journal Nature Medicine revealed that over 60,000 heat-related deaths occurred in Europe in 2022, the majority of which were in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.
With at least four heat-related deaths recorded in Malta during the recent heatwave, the urgency for effective solutions is paramount.
Europe has been identified as a significant climatic hotspot, with warming rates nearly 1 °C higher than the global average, and greater than any other continent.
Environmental NGO, Friends of the Earth Malta, which has been advocating for ambitious climate policies and actions for years, welcomes the public acknowledgment of the severity of the climate crisis.
However, they urge the need for real action. Over a decade ago, the NGO, along with other European environmental groups, campaigned for national climate legislation in the ‘Big Ask’ initiative. This campaign led to the adoption of the Climate Action Act in Malta in 2015.
Regrettably, it appears to be ‘business as usual’ since its’ implementation. The recent weeks have highlighted that our energy system lacks robustness and resilience against the rising temperatures and extreme heatwaves exacerbated by climate change.
Addressing climate change requires ‘mitigation’ – halting greenhouse gas emissions primarily from fossil fuels – and ‘adaptation’ – future-proofing our cities and countries to increase resilience to extreme events.
Friends of the Earth Malta’s Climate Campaign Coordinator, Dr. Suzanne Maas, emphasises that Malta needs to prepare for a climate-proof future and shift away from fossil fuels quickly through a clear renewable energy policy supported by data and a phase-out plan for fossil gas by 2035.
The continued exploration for, or investment in fossil fuels – oil, coal, and gas – is incompatible with global, EU, and national greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
Any public investment in our energy system must align with climate targets, which means immediate halt to any further investment in fossil fuels, including the proposed Melita TransGas pipeline.
Malta should focus on investing in energy savings, local renewable energy sources, and community energy projects rather than relying on imported fuel and electricity.
Community energy projects, or energy cooperatives, empower citizens to own and participate in renewable energy or energy efficiency projects, enabling them to supply, share, save energy, and have a say in our energy system.
Under the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive, the government has the obligation to establish a legal framework for community energy initiatives. These initiatives are crucial in transitioning to renewable energy and creating a more democratic, decentralised, and resilient energy system.
Effective energy policy and informed decision-making require research and action to outline potential pathways to a 100% renewable energy future for Malta.
This includes a rapid shift to clean renewable energy, improving the energy performance of buildings through energy savings and efficiency, and enabling decarbonisation and modal shift in the transport sector.
What is your opinion on climate change?