Opposition says ministries should appoint representatives on climate change compliance

Every ministry should have a designated representative on climate change that evaluates compliance and conformity with international obligations related to climate change, the Opposition has said.

Addressing parliament on Tuesday, the Opposition spokesperson for climate change Eve Borg Bonello said the representative would not only be answerable to the minister, but also to the Climate Action Authority.

The parliamentary debate on a new legal framework to address climate change, which includes a Climate Action Authority and separate National Climate Action Council continued on Tuesday.

Borg Bonello said that while the enactment of a new authority is a good move by government, it was the PN back in 2019 which had raised the issue in Malta’s highest institution.

“The PN has forwarded proposals and ideas on the formation of this authority, but government had ignored us,” she said.

The PN had called on government to declare a state of emergency in October 2019.

The MP said reports by the Climate Action Authority should be published and its chairperson testify in front of a relevant parliamentary committee.

She also called for the wider representation of NGOs and stakeholders within the authority so decisions are taken in the best interest of combatting climate change. Borg Bonello also stated the necessary checks and balance must be put in place.

“The Authority is essential to truly progress and take urgent action to limit our emissions, improve air quality, and mitigate the effects of climate change in our country, especially considering that Malta has fallen six places in the Climate Change Performance Index in the past year,” she said. “Let’s stop this from happening again next year.”

She also mentioned that Malta has the highest dependence on energy sources which pollute within the European Union.