The impact of the Kyoto Protocol, which came into effect in February, was discussed by experts of the legal, educational and scientific communities during a half-day seminar entitled “The Kyoto Protocol – How will this affect us?” organised by the Mikiel Anton Vassalli Foundation at the National Labour Centre in Hamrun. CHARLOT ZAHRA reports.
Dr Simone Borg, expert in environmental law, University of Malta – The legal aspect of the Protocol
The origin of the Kyoto Protocol was sent by Malta in a letter to The Times of London that launched the idea of “The Weather as a World Heritage”. The letter dwelt on the need of a global strategy to protect climate in order to promote sustainable life on earth. According to this letter, the UN General Assembly was the right place for discussing and addressing this global threat.
Soon after, the Maltese government made a request so that the threats posed by climate change be placed on the agenda of the UN General Assembly. In its resolution, Malta asked for the “conservation of climate as part of the common heritage of mankind”. The resolution was unanimously approved, calling for the “protection of the global climate for present and future generations of humankind”.
The Kyoto Protocol bolstered the preceding Convention on Climate, which already called for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by developed countries to 1990 levels. They were also obliged to provide financial assistance to developing countries to take the necessary measures to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
Under the Kyoto Protocol, which was negotiated in only two years, the concept of climate as a “common concern of human kind” was enshrined, as well as the principle of “common but differentiated responsibility”.
Kyoto obliges developing countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by five per cent from the 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012. On the other hand, developing countries do not have any such obligations.
In fact, under the Kyoto Protocol, Malta (as well as Cyprus) was considered a developing country and as such did not have any obligations. However, when Malta joined the EU a year ago, it assumed the obligations that the Union had made in the Kyoto Protocol.
According to the Kyoto Protocol, the EU is considered a developed country and has to reach the five per cent reduction target by 2012 as a whole. Thus Malta had to make a National Allocation Plan for greenhouse gas emissions and can therefore participate in the scheme for trading of emission quotas allowed under the Kyoto Protocol.
Dr Paul Pace, educator, University of Malta – Education on the Protocol
Article 10 (e) of the Kyoto Protocol calls on the parties to “cooperate in and promote at international level and, where appropriate, using existing bodies, the development and implementation of education and training programmes, including the strengthening of national capacity building, in particular human and institutional capacities and the exchange or secondment of personnel to train experts in this field, in particular for developing countries, and facilitate at the national level public awareness of, and public access to information on, climate change”.
The successful implementation of the Kyoto Protocol depends on cooperation on global, national and local levels; coordination between different entities, a change in the “comfortable” lifestyle we are used to (what Dr Pace described as “the American way of life”), a different scale of values (what do you consider as ‘development’ and a ‘good standard of living’?), and the need to adapt to change. So there is the need to create a balance between different interests (the environment, society and the economy) in order to have a good quality of life, leading to sustainable development.
The role of environmental education is to create awareness, offer information, develop skills and foster attitudes and values, which lead to active participation in the decision that are taken about the environment. Indeed, since the late 1980s, the onus in documents on the environment has shifted from governments to individuals.
However, there are still a number of obstacles on environmental education in Malta. It is taken for granted, as if there is no need for training, resources and structures to implement it, as if it had been “an afterthought”. For instance, in the Strategy for Solid Waste, there is mention of education but no resources were allocated for it.
Moreover, Malta is one of the few countries that does not have “a clear policy” about environmental education in the curriculum. The much-maligned first National Minimum Curriculum at least mentioned it, but the ‘new’ one does not, in spite of three different memos by different entities suggesting its introduction. However, “a very wise person” shot down the suggestion, saying that another subject should not be introduced.
“There is no need for a new subject. It can be addressed though methodology, as in the case of inclusion, which is in the National Minimum Curriculum.”
Professor Edward Mallia, University of Malta – Climate change, emissions and pollution
There have been a number of changes in the climate of the Maltese Islands. There has been a rise in the average temperature and in sea temperature. The sea level has risen too. The total annual rainfall has decreased, but episodes of heavy rainfalls are on the increase.
This climate change is creating a number of effects. The sea level is expected to rise by around one metre by 2100, while drinking water from the mean water table will drop to half the present levels. Initially, its quality will continue to worsen substantially.
This problem is being accentuated by the lack of control on illegal boreholes, which are pumping water from the water tables. The various amnesties granted over the years have had a limited effect.
The lack of rainfall, coupled with heavier rainfalls that are easily lost in the sea, meaning that there will be less water to fill the water table. This will signify more dependence on reverse osmosis plants for our water supply.
Moreover, the heavier rainfall will lead to loss of soil and the destruction of agricultural land as a result.
The increase in temperature could lead to the reappearance of diseases that occur in other countries where it is hotter, such as malaria. On the other hand, the increase in sea temperature will lead to less oxygen in the seawater, which will have a negative impact on marine life.
Vince Attard, Nature Trust Malta – The role of NGOs in combating climate change
Nature Trust Malta is part of the Climate Can Change Action Network (CAN), which was set up in 1989 and has 350 environmental NGOs as members. CAN started lobbying countries to take action with regard to climate change.
If something is not done in the next 10 to 20 years it will be too late. CAN is already calling for action in the post-2012 scenario, pushing the EU to establish medium and long-term targets.
The EU is proposing that a further 20 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions is made by 2020.
Industrialised countries have to reduce emissions and at the same time adopt climate-friendly technology, while developing countries should strive to decarbonise their industry.
Malta is still lagging behind in various aspects of environmental protection. For instance, car free day is being imposed without any promotion of the incentives related to it.
As regards the eco-tax, the environmental NGOs were in favour of it but did not agree with the way it was implemented. The government did not consult these NGOs on the implementation of eco-tax.
Other points of concern are:
• Poor law enforcement despite strict laws on paper, such as the case with illegal boreholes
• High emissions from vehicles in spite of the introduction of vehicles roadworthiness tests
• Lack of government support for education on the environment
• Lack of sufficient incentives for solar panels.
Moreover, the Commission for Sustainable Development has been meeting for the past two years but nothing has come out of it. It is more “cosmetic rather than concrete impact”.
Saviour Vassallo, Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) – Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Malta
Greenhouse gas emissions in Malta have grown around 30 per cent between 1990 and 2000, although they reached a plateau between 1996 and 2000.
Malta’s total emissions for 2002 only amount to 0.058 per cent of the total emissions generated by the EU-25, but when expressed in terms of its Gross Domestic Product, emissions exceed the EU average significantly, indicating that the Maltese economy is inefficient in terms of emissions.
This is most probably due to inefficiency in electricity generation (the biggest contributor to overall emissions), as well as the high density of vehicles in Malta (they are the second highest contributor to overall emissions).
If one analyses Malta’s greenhouse gas emissions by type of gas, carbon dioxide is the worst offender, principally from combustion of fossil fuels in the energy and transport sectors.
Carbon dioxide is responsible for 82 per cent of Malta’s emissions of Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gases. Carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are also principally produced from fossil fuel combustion.
Methane is also discharged, and comes mostly from solid waste disposal on land and animal husbandry.
The energy generation industry and transport dominate the greenhouse gas emissions scene in Malta, between them accounting for 93 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions in 2000.
There has been a 27 per cent increase in carbon dioxide emissions from the energy industry and 45 per cent in carbon dioxide emissions from transport between 1990 and 2000.
Methane emissions show a 23 per cent increase, while only nitrogen oxide emissions show a decrease.
A very significant increase in carbon dioxide emissions due to international bunkering (marine and aviation) has also occurred (+ 335 per cent).
This sector is reported separately in national emission estimates and accounts for emissions from vessels and aeroplanes taking on fuel from Malta and embarking on international travel.
Since the areas that contribute mostly to Malta’s greenhouse gas emissions are energy and transport, these are the areas that need most action to limit emissions.
Action to reduce emissions from energy may be related both to energy production as well as energy use. This requires an effort both on the supply side by the energy industry and demand-side management by the final users of energy.
Actions can be taken in various ways, including reducing energy demand, increasing efficiency in energy use, increasing efficiency of generation, reducing losses and wastage, using cleaner fuel sources, and developing alternatives to fossil fuel use through renewable energy sources.
For instance, the Marsa Power Station is significantly less efficient than Delimara. Marsa generating units could be replaced by modern generating plants or replaced by increased generating capacity at Delimara.