Nature Trust (Malta) has recently presented to the four political parties contesting the general election of 2008 a memorandum on environmental issues with suggestions to the political parties to consider including in their electoral programme

The 12-page memorandum covers various environmental issues which include nature protection, waste, water and air quality, law enforcement, civil society, environmental education, marine environment, land use and animal welfare.

Nature Trust is recommending, among other things, that Outside Development Zone (ODZ) applications should not even be considered by the authorities and that mega projects on an island where land use is a major problem, are not accepted. The document also suggests the setting up of more land and marine protected areas, illegal boreholes should be controlled, and law enforcement should be beefed up and improved. NTM is also recommending that a national strategy on renewable energy be set up and a national waste strategy on waste sorting etc be implemented in Malta without further delay.

Nature Trust is also suggesting the inclusion of more environmental education in the national curriculum and the introduction of the local Agenda 21 in our island. The NGO calls for more inclusion of civil society in the decision-making processes and government support to NGOs.

The memorandum also focuses on animal welfare and suggests way on how this can be improved since this is long overdue.

In the same document NTM also focuses on the Malta Environmental & Planning Authority (Mepa). The NGO said Mepa still remains very unbalanced toward development as against environmental concerns. This has been shown with recent approval of development permits in outside development zones and other related permits. NTM is suggesting the setting up of an Environment Protection Agency with full executive powers similar to other EU countries.

Nature Trust hopes that the political parties will include some of these suggestions in their electoral manifestos and put the environment on a higher political agenda in their programmes.