Over 147 Heads of State will launch a two-week United Nations Climate Change Conference Summit today, expected to deliver a global climate change agreement that would come into effect in 2020.
Various Maltese eNGOs are afraid that this agreement will be a weak one and will do little to slow down climate change.
"It is positive that a special session on climate change was held at the CHOGM in Malta. This may help to increase political support among Commonwealth leaders at the Paris summit this week. The importance of global initiatives on climate change is evident, and the Paris meeting aims for a strong agreement between nations.
"Besides discussing the concerns and effects of climate change, it is critical to back up words with action. Each country must play its part, including Malta.
"Unfortunately, Malta still lags behind on its renewable energy commitments. Wind farms have proved problematic to implement and there has been little progress in this area. Photovoltaic panels present their own environmental pressures, such as the further take-up of Malta's limited open spaces. Installing photovoltaic panels on rooftops seems preferable, but even this needs better regulation and guidelines. If not properly installed, PV panels can be very unsightly and downgrade urban spaces. The disposal of end-of-life PV panels must also be considered.
"Tackling climate change requires a holistic approach. For example, a shift to gas in the energy sector is positive, but the government is also linking this to lower energy bills. This may be welcome to consumers, but negative for climate change as cheaper electricity increases demand for fossil fuels. Discussing climate change at an international level is very important, but the government must also achieve its own agreed targets.
Petra Caruana Dingli
Din l-Art Helwa
On the eve of the Summit, hundreds of thousands of people are taking to the streets in some 150 countries to call for real action on climate change.
In Malta, Friends of the Earth Malta has coordinated a series of live installations highlighting the implications of a weak COP agreement. This comes hot on the heels of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta, taking place at the very same place where the live installations were set up. The location was chosen specifically to remind the Commonwealth Heads of State of their responsibility to the people when they attend the COP21 meeting.
"People know that this time, we can't count on the goodwill of our governments to save the world. We need civil society pressure in Paris. The transformation to socially-controlled, renewable energy, is underway, led by the real leaders - the people. If people's solutions are embraced universally, and not further held back by decision-makers, nor undermined by corporate incentives, we could together make huge strides along the path to climate-safe societies," said Martin Galea De Giovanni, Director at Friends of the Earth Malta.
"The people are building a strong and radical climate justice movement which recognizes that climate change is not a single-issue struggle, and that injustices are a result of a system that is also fuelling climate change. This includes the forced displacement and migration of millions of people, whose fundamental rights are denied on a daily basis. The fight for social justice must necessarily include climate justice concerns," said Dr Maria Pisani, Director at Integra Foundation.
Millions are already paying with their lives for our governments' continued inaction. The climate crisis disproportionately affects the poorer nations and the poorest people, who are not responsible for the climate crisis we are facing. The world's richest, developed countries are most responsible for climate change, having polluted their way to progress. These nations have taken up much more than their fair share of atmospheric space and natural resources, and must urgently make the deepest emission cuts to completely transform their economies and societies. If we want to reduce the future suffering of millions of refugees, we need to make all the links in the bigger picture and start acting on the root causes.
The 26 local signatories endorsing this PR are the following:
Friends of the Earth Malta, Greenhouse Malta, Institute for Applied Sciences Students Organisation, Integra Foundation, Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust, Malta Organic Agriculture Movement, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Malta Water Association, Front ODZ, Migrant Women Association Malta, Green Drinks, Nature Trust, Organisation Friendship in Diversity, Say It - Youtheme foundation, Sharklab, KOPIN, Slow Food Movement, Studenti Demokristjani Maltin, The Critical Institute, Why Not? Alternattiva Demokratika, Bicycle Advocacy Group Malta, Moviment Graffitti, Core Green, fish4tomorrow and Why Not?.
Statements from signatories:
"We have a duty towards future generations to change direction and reverse the climatic impacts of human activity. This may well be the last chance." Carmel Cacopardo Deputy Chairman of Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party.
"The potential for cycling to modify CO2 emissions via a 10% reduction by 2050 according to the studies by UC Davis and the ITDP clearly set cycling as a significant game player in the future of urban transport, worldwide as well as locally in Malta." Bicycling Advocacy Group (Malta)
"Despite all the efforts being made, governments either lack a long-term vision when addressing issues related to climate change, or are blinded by short-term monetary gains of economic growth. Humans are integrated into the natural environment, and we affect and are affected by it. It is for this reason that we need to move from active discussion about climate change to active doing, taking matters into our own legitimate hands. Issues regarding groundwater depletion, desertification and ocean acidification persist as major challenges for island states such as the Maltese Islands. Such issues need to take front seat with regards to policy design and implementation. Scientific knowledge ought to be shared in its fullest and not over-simplified, with the risk of being taken too lightly or partially understood. Thus we encourage our fellow youths to learn, take part and play an active role in preventing irreversible damage to our earth system." Danika Formosa, General Secretary of Institute of Applied Science Student Organisation.
"Today's consumption and production patterns have brought humanity's impact on the planet beyond sustainable planetary boundaries. We are heavily dependent on the planet's natural resources, including land, water, forests and minerals, yet we are putting ourselves and the earth's biodiversity in grave danger. The world urgently needs to come together to reverse the climate crisis and stop exacerbating hunger and poverty," William Grech, Director of KOPIN