“You Control Climate Change” is the title of a new awareness-raising campaign that the European Commission launched in Malta last week. This campaign which will run in all 25 member countries of the European Union challenges individuals to make small changes to their daily routine in order to achieve significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.
The launch, attended by Dr Joanna Drake, Head of the European Commission’s Representation in Malta, and by Minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment George Pullicino, took place at the Valletta Waterfront. Over 100 primary schoolchildren from different schools were also present and took part in an animated presentation, led by well known TV presenter Marie Briguglio, on the causes and effects of climate change.
As in other EU countries, the Malta campaign was launched with the unveiling of a huge banner showing the earth in the universe, with a thermostat attached to it measuring its rising temperature. “You Control Climate Change,” reads the title. “Turn down. Switch off. Recycle. Walk.”
It was also announced that the second phase of the campaign will take place in early autumn when secondary schoolchildren will make a pledge to take practice steps to reduce CO2 emissions by making small changes in their daily behaviour. Over 300 children are expected to take part in this campaign. A series of educational spots on climate change are also planned for transmission on one of the local television stations.
Apart from aiming to give people a sense of personal responsibility and empowerment and help them contribute to the fight against climate change, the campaign also includes the launch of a new website http://www.climatechange.eu.com, which offers a wealth of practical and easy-to-do tips on how to reduce emissions.
Households in the EU are responsible for some 16 per cent of the EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions, most of which comes from the production and use of energy.
Practical advice included in the campaign website include avoiding the stand-by mode of TV sets, stereos and computers, saving 10 per cent of the energy they use by printing on both sides of each sheet of paper. The website also includes a carbon calculator which calculates the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) saved by each action, and a downloadable power-saving screen saver for computers. In the coming months the campaign will also target secondary school pupils, who will be encouraged to sign a pledge to reduce their CO2 emissions and track their efforts.
Per head and year, each EU citizen is responsible for 11 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, mainly CO2. Most of the greenhouse gas emissions in the EU are caused by the production and use of energy (61 per cent followed by transport (21 per cent, both of which use fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) that release emissions of CO2 when burnt.
Households use almost one third of the energy consumed in the EU, and private cars are responsible for roughly half of the transport emissions, so individuals have a direct influence on these emissions. But they can also help reduce emissions from other sectors such as industry by reducing their waste and making sure it is recycled or composted. For example, it costs 10 times less energy to recycle an aluminium can than to produce a new one. Last but not least, citizens can push for the structural changes needed to achieve a low-carbon society, for example the increased use of renewable energy sources.