Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) considers that this year’s budget is a crucial one as regards both heritage and environment. With national monuments like Forts St. Elmo and Angelo in an advanced state of deterioration, FAA maintains that funding for the restoration of our national heritage and scrupulous governance of available EU funding is a priority. It also calls on Government to finally activate the Heritage Trust, intended to provide restoration grants to owners of listed buildings or buildings situated in a Conservation Area. Given that this Trust was also envisaged for the acquisition of buildings or land FAA calls for the immediate purchase, at non-development rates, of the project sites at Ramla l-Hamra and Hondoq ir-Rummien, to be made available for projects of public benefit. 

As Malta’s obligations to start producing alternative energy can no longer be postponed, FAA calls for realistic incentives to encourage more widespread use of alternative energy equipment by the domestic sector, the commercial sector, the agricultural and industrial sectors. Initiatives are also required to assist the implementation of energy efficiency measures in buildings as per LN 238 of 2006 such as double-glazing and insulation, as well as the construction of rainwater cisterns for all buildings - enforcement of these regulations should be coupled with the establishment of a 10% renewable energy requirement for all major projects.    

The setting of annual targets for Renewable Energy Sources (RES) growth would also help us reach our EU targets.   

Regarding the rampant illegal extraction of water, FAA states that while the registration exercise is a step in the right direction, it has to be followed up by direct and immediate action, such as the metering of registered boreholes.  Investments are urgently required to provide treated sewage effluent and stormwater to replace groundwater use by agriculture and industry.  

The subsidy on electricity consumed by Water Services Corporation should be removed, while a nation-wide educational campaign on energy and water savings in all sectors will help curb consumption. 

Increased human resources are required to allow the MEPA Environment Protection Directorate and Malta Resources Authority to operate effectively and finally issue national policies on water, energy, transportation and tourism, while realistic funds are also required for the Eco-Island project to get under way.  In both Gozo and Malta, emphasis should be on re-use of existing housing units, rather than more construction.  Given the fact that some 15,000 Joint Office housing units are still blocked and have not been released for use, these should be rehabilitated as soon as possible and made available to those in need. 

FAA calls on the Authorities to be more pro-active in these sectors rather than waiting for EU warnings before taking concrete action.  

Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar

2nd November 2008