Malta is to be sent a final written warning from the European Commission for its failure to provide complete annual reports for two years running, on the progress in reducing and limiting greenhouse gas emissions.

Malta is to receive a final warning over its failure to provide the EC with its 2005 report, which was due on 15 January 2006, while it will also receive a first written warning for failing to provide the subsequent 2006 report, which was due on 15 January 2007.

Bulgaria, Italy and Luxembourg will also be sent their first warnings for missing the 15 January deadline.

Although Malta, along with Cyprus, is exempted from the Kyoto Protocol targets, the national reports are required under a 2004 EU decision on monitoring EU-wide emission levels as part of the EU’s Kyoto obligations. They are also fundamental to the EC’s preparations of annual reports on Community emissions, as required by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.

Under both the UN Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, the EU and all member states must regularly report their greenhouse gas emissions, as well as policies and measures taken to reduce the emissions, the impact of such measures and assessments of future greenhouse gas emissions so that progress toward climate control goals can be properly monitored.

Speaking yesterday, EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas stressed, “Accurate, up-to-date information is an essential basis for fighting climate change effectively. I urge the member states concerned to provide the missing information as soon as possible and to meet the agreed deadlines in future.”

Luxembourg will be taken to the European Court of Justice and Estonia and Greece will receive final warnings for not communicating essential technical information related to their greenhouse gas emission targets under the Kyoto Protocol.

In a statement, the Rural Affairs and the Environment Ministry said yesterday that much progress has been registered in the work that is required for Malta to be able to meet its reporting obligations as detailed in Article 3(1) of Decision 280/2004/EC.

This includes the setting up of a National Inventory System to estimate emissions from sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases. This will enable Malta to meet all EU and international reporting requirements covering greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants. Such an inventory system will incorporate criteria to ensure quality assurance and quality control procedures in accordance with Article 4(4) of the same Decision 280/2004/EC.

The ministry said it confirms that it has commissioned a project entitled The Establishment of a National Methodology for Emission Inventory in Malta.

This project will provide both the appropriate software and the expertise required to enable Malta to fulfil all its air quality reporting requirements.

Malta will submit its first such report in the next reporting period. This report will include all of the outstanding reports as from accession.