Three Major Green Moves Carried Out By Malta This Week
Photo: 1Zoom.ME
Malta’s general attitude towards the environment regularly comes under a fair deal of, often justified, flak. Yet the government took three significant pro-environment decisions this past week alone, which are worth delving into in some detail.
1. An iron fist against law-breaching fish farms
Two summers ago, the appearance of fish farm generated slime at the coastline caused quite a spectacle – with enforcement notices, appeals, economic warnings and shouting matches at the Planning Authority, with fish farms eventually moving their operations further offshore. There was no such drama this time round. No sooner did fish farm slime appear by the coast than four major fish farm operators voluntarily sign up to a deal to clamp down on it.
That notwithstanding, Environment Minister Jose Herrera ordered the Fishing Department and the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) to take drastic action.
“Fish farm operators which didn’t take action to mitigate against the oil slime and other related materials were suspended from continuing their operations until they got in line with their permit,” he said. “While I am glad to see that fish operators have reached a deal, they must respect their permit conditions in their entirety.”
2. New laws to protect trees
Trees may finally get to breathe a sign of relief after a new law was passed to make it harder for them to get chopped down. 30 more trees were added to the protected species list, bringing the total up to 90 types of trees.
Interventions on trees, excluding those in private dwellings and those planted by farmers for agricultural purposes, will have to be monitored by licensed specialists – for whom courses will be set up.
If a planning application involves the uprooting of trees, ERA will be empowered to request the applicant to finance an independent assessment of the impact of this. ERA will be able to demand mitigatory and compensatory measures, including limitations to the uprooting, transplantation of the tree, compensatory tee planting and a contribution to an environmental fund.
3. A new department to enforce environmental protection
Environmentalist Claire Bonello at the launch of Ambjent Malta
A new department within the Environment Ministry has been set up to oversee the upkeep and maintenance of natural parks, valleys and landscaping – replacing the old PARKS directorate.
The department, called Ambjent Malta, will come with its own board of governance – which will not only monitor the department but draft a long-term environmental masterplan and act as a bridge between the Environment Minister and green NGOs.
Could this be a start of a new page for Malta’s environment?
READ NEXT: Local Council’s Initiative Shows It’s Not All Doom And Gloom For Trees In Malta
