Renewable sources of energy and the enforcement of laws designed to curtail abuse in construction and hunting were the recurrent themes touched by those attending the environment-related pre-budget dialogue meeting held yesterday in Birkirkara.
Speakers from several environmental NGOs as well as citizens asked Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech for more subsidies, further tax rebates for businesses and for people who donate money for environmental causes. Further subsidies were also requested on solar water heaters, photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, energy saving lights and appliances.They also asked for a greater effort to collect storm water since this may also help in curbing floods.
Mr Fenech replied that there is a greater need for popularising such environmentally-friendly equipment, adding that the Malta Environment and Planning Authority is devising policy guidelines on domestic wind turbines. He referred to the newest government buildings, including the Mater Dei Hospital and new schools, which have large wells as well as energy-saving equipment. The government, he said, is also planning to replace the Marsa power station with a new one that runs on liquid gas as well as acceding to the European power grid.
The parliamentary secretary said the government will be allocating EUR360m out of its 2007-2013 EU funds towards renewable energy and water management. As regards the latter, the government plans to dig huge underground mines that will retain storm water before it reaches the Birkirkara-Lija-Balzan area and pump it into storage facilities. This water, said Mr Fenech, would then be sold cheaply for irrigation in a bid to curb illegal boreholes.
Law enforcement was mentioned for a various number of sectors including animal protection, hunting and the construction industry.
Mr Fenech said the individual inspectorates in various government agencies should in time be absorbed into one organisation in order to maximise the use of the limited resources at hand.
The government was also urged to plant more trees at the sides of thoroughfares, with a particular person saying that there is only one tree per 200 metres on the 16 kilometres of roads constructed during the run up to the CHOGM.
Mr Fenech replied that unfortunately people still steal newly-planted trees, as happened to the cypresses planted in the stretch of road between the Malta Financial Services Authority premises and Qormi.
In his opening speech, Mr Fenech reminded his audience that the environment is one of the “three pillars” on which the government has built its vision for the future and it is putting its money where its mouth is by investing heavily in these “pillars”. Environment-related expenditure, excluding EU funding, has doubled when compared to the budget of eight years ago, said Mr Fenech. He emphasised the fact that the environment has a major role to play as regards economic growth, as it strongly influences tourism and can create new business ventures in recycling.