Abela cannot be taken seriously on climate and Green Deal – AD/PD

The AD/PD party has accused Prime Minister Robert Abela of presenting the EU’s ‘Green Deal’ as his own, at a Cabinet meeting hosted at the premises of the Chamber of Commerce.

The two parties said that while the PM’s speech recognised the need for a green and just transition to a zero-carbon economy, this was in fact the thrust of the EU’s direction following years of pressure from the European Green Party and young climate activists, who are now forcing national governments to take the necessary steps to combat climate change.

“The EU’s ‘Green Deal’, if implemented properly, means that we could reach an EU-wide zero-carbon society by 2050. However, for this to happen, the attempts of the Maltese government and of other national governments to undermine the proposed targets, rendering the EU Green Deal ineffective, need to stop,” spokesperson Ralph Cassar said.

Cassar said that European climate law had to bind member states to reduce emissions by 65% by 2030. “So far Maltese governments have always negotiated ridiculous and low targets for Malta. If the Prime Minister’s words are to be taken seriously we expect him to commit to a drastic reduction in emissions by 2030.

“We expect him to announce the phase-out of petrol and diesel, and the phase-out of heavy fuel oil used by the Maltese merchant fleet, which account for 5% of pollution from ships worldwide. We expect a serious plan to strengthen the electricity distribution system so that the proportion of electricity generated from renewable sources can be drastically increased.”

Cassar said Robert Abela could not be taken seriously on climate because the government’s widening of roads for more cars, an underwater tunnel between Malta and Gozo, the shelving of plans for a fast-ferry system, and an economic focus on mass tourism and aviation, was “business as usual” for the government.

“The government has not even launched a comprehensive plan on switching vehicles to electric ones, despite having long promised to launch such a plan,” Cassar said.

Cassar said Abela had to present a plan indicating how he intends to make up for the lack of government income from fuels duties, once fossil fuels are phased out. “This substantial source of income supports various public services. Does the government have the courage to admit that one of the solutions is a financial speculation tax? Has Abela the courage to admit that the tax system needs to be recalibrated to reflect the new digital economy, and that a digital tax that mainly affects digital multinationals that are so far avoiding taxes big time, is one of solutions?”

AD and PD stressed that for the EU’s vision to succeed, the government had to present a detailed and ambitious plan for Malta for a deep, public discussion on a fair transition to a zero-carbon society.