World Environment Day is celebrated every year on June 5 and through it the United Nations aims at promoting awareness of the environment and its protection, the NSO said today.

In 2017 greenhouse gas net emissions in Malta increased by 14 per cent over 2016.

Each year, the United Nations chooses a different theme to mark the Day, focusing on a critical environmental issue. This year’s chosen theme is “Beat Air Pollution”.

Emissions Data extracted from the Greenhouse Gas Inventory show that during 2017 the estimated net emission of greenhouse gases in Malta amounted to more than 2,155 kilotonnes.

This signified a 14 per cent increase over 2016. The energy sector, contributed to slightly more than 75 per cent of the total greenhouse gas net emissions during 2017. Energy industries and transport activities were the two largest contributors of greenhouse gas net emissions, contributing 34 and 30 per cent of the net emissions respectively.

One can note that over the 10-year period while greenhouse gas net emissions from the energy industries fell by more than half, those from transport were on the increase.

The decrease in greenhouse gas net emissions from the energy industries was the result of the introduction of imported electricity by means of the interconnector in 2015 and the shift to Natural gas as the major fuel for local electricity production in 2017.