Since May 2004, when Malta formally acceded to the EU, The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has been faced with two new challenges:

On the one hand, the agency assumed a wide range of new responsibilities for implementing over 200 EU legal instruments in the field of environment. New obligations to transpose and implement obligations in the fields of air quality, waste management, pollution control and nature protection, to mention a few – have translated themselves into an urgent and pressing need to invest in Mepa’s institutional capacity to handle these issues. Mepa had to seek ways to upgrade its technical base, including the need to invest in new equipment, establish environmental monitoring processes and systems, and improve its data management infrastructure.

The organisation also had to improve the capabilities of its workforce, investing in training of staff and in obtaining specific technical expertise which was previously not available. A wide range of environmental data had to be systematically collected and analysed to satisfy the EU reporting requirements – this sometimes involved the need to conduct expensive, but necessary surveys and studies, which would subsequently pave the way for the actual policies and physical measures to protect the environment.

On the other hand, 2004 was the year that Malta became eligible to benefit from a wide array of EU funding, instruments and programmes, including structural funds. These programmes opened huge opportunities for financing projects, which would otherwise not be completed due to lack of funds.

Conscious of these opportunities, Mepa invested in its project management capability. It has established an internal monitoring system for all available funding opportunities and set up procedures and systems to support the project management process. These efforts paid off.

Since 2004, Mepa has implemented a total of 59 projects financed under a range of EU and international programmes, including European Regional Development Fund, Interreg, Leonardo, FP5 and FP6, UNEP, Global Environmental Facility (GEF), UK / Malta Action Plan, TAIEX, Transitional Facility, Pre-accession programmes and other instruments. Over the last two years, Mepa has benefited from over e6.2 million in direct allocation for projects resulting in the development of permitting and monitoring systems, procurement of air monitoring equipment, scientific surveys and studies, training of personnel, communications and awareness raising initiatives and the development of information management infrastructure.

Here is an example of only a few of the main projects implemented by Mepa with the support of EU and international funding instruments.

An investment in air quality monitoring capability

As part of Malta’s EU obligations in the field of air quality, the government is required to establish an air monitoring system which would provide policy makers with up to date data on air quality. We all know that air pollution directly affects people’s health and therefore the issue of monitoring needed to be addressed as a matter of priority. Mepa conducted a feasibility study that looked into the technical requirements of the air monitoring system and also identified the amount of investment needed to ensure good quality standards.

A series of air monitoring stations had to be purchased to complete the existing network and ensure that key pollutants are monitored in strategic locations. With the support of the European Regional Development Fund and the Transitional Facility for Malta 2004 programme, Mepa received an allocation of e750,000 to radically enhance its air monitoring capability. Two state-of-the-art air-monitoring stations which would allow real time data collection on a number of air quality parameters have already been purchased and commissioned on site. Those of you who regularly drive through Zejtun or Msida may have noticed two box-like metal structures with tubes protruding from their roofs – two very important pieces of equipment continuously monitoring the air we breathe, rendered, we hope, a little more attractive by messages to educate the public about the importance of having clean air and things people can do to minimise air pollution.

The contract for the supply of the third station is currently being finalised. The stations are accompanied by sophisticated software which enables the operator to transfer and manipulate data obtained from the sensors. Mepa staff received extensive training in the use of the equipment and software and on other aspects of air quality monitoring.

Mr Sergei Golovkin is an officer with the Eu and Multilateral Affairs Unit at the Malta Environment & Planning Authority.

Part II of this article will be carried tomorrow