Malta’s obligation under the Kyoto protocol was signed in April 1998. A decade later we are no closer to meeting those targets than on the day the protocol was signed. Under this protocol Malta is required to take the necessary measures to reduce its climate-changing emissions of greenhouse gases. The main constituent, carbon dioxide, results from burning fossil fuels generated by our power plants (which are probably the lowest in terms of efficiency compared with the European average), from factories and cars. Our share of the climate change “burden” (12.5 per cent reduction of the 1990 levels), must be achieved within the next four years. Malta’s emissions quota for greenhouse gases set by the EU currently stands at 2.1 million tonnes.

Clearly it will take more than a Herculean effort from the government to achieve these results. Suffice it to say that, reducing current emission levels to those of 1990 requires a drastic reduction in emissions equivalent to some 28 per cent of last year’s generated electricity. Undoubtedly therefore, our international obligation to this end is simply impossible to achieve in time.

The bottom line of all this is quite realistic and reasonably clear. Valuable time has been lost and the government has failed miserably to prioritise energy efficiency and conservation, and give the support it needs. The taxpayer will soon be realising that part of his tax contribution will not be going to invest in renewable energy projects to narrow the emissions gap but to buy carbon credits or settle fines for non-compliance, which incidentally could run into hundreds of millions of euros.

Presently, renewable energy cannot meet all our energy needs and neither will it in the short term. However, the potential for saving energy while reducing its losses, and using it more efficiently, is relevant and achievable if pursued. This has been repeatedly said by a number of local energy scientists in that the only way of achieving the Kyoto target is to combine the use of renewables along with aggressive energy saving and efficiency campaigns.

Our national energy plan for this legislature should have sought to progressively achieve the following:

• Complete ban on the importation of inefficient incandescent light bulbs and initiate an ongoing subsidised campaign on the use of new super-efficient LED or compact fluorescent light bulbs targeting some 130,000 households which could save the nation about 7 per cent of its annual energy bill.

• Similar measures ensure that only energy saving appliances and those that waste less electricity on stand-by are imported

• Promote and provide favourable conditions for the introduction of electric vehicles and light commercial vans. Pure electric traction cuts down greenhouse emission by about 50 per cent since battery charging can be carried out directly from the grid or better still through photovoltaics .

• Establish sympathetic regulations within a clear legal framework to extend the energy labelling scheme. Make accessible incentives that promote investment and use of energy efficient equipment across the commercial and industrial sectors.

• Establish two, on-shore, 25 MW pilot wind farms in Gozo and Malta with a provision to extend their capacity to 100 MW within five years.

• Subsidise and strengthen the solar water heaters campaign for households, aimed at achieving the installation of 50,000 units by 2012

• Implementation of building regulations that reduce energy losses

• Improve land transport (which is responsible for some 15 per cent of GHG emissions. Evaluate the feasibility of establishing an infrastructural network to operate a mono rail system

• Reduce Enemalta grid losses to two per cent, currently amounting to five per cent of that generated.

• Consumption of electricity by the Water Services Corporation (WSC) amounts to nine per cent of the total produced. In addition, sewage treatment places an additional burden on the energy budget and the GHG inventory. An integrated water management strategy is necessary for more effective harnessing of rainwater, control misuse and reduce demand for potable water. Construction of strategically located rain water retention/storage and blending facilities to improve second class water production for agricultural use.

• Develop potential uses of waste heat recovery systems given off by Enemalta power stations and industrial plants

Numerous other examples could be listed and similar savings could be made in our use of fuel. To achieve all this, government financial and regulatory support is needed. This will involve anything from funds for public information campaigns through grants to help home owners fit insulation, tax changes to encourage motorists to buy more energy efficient cars to regulatory changes such as tougher building and product standards. The government’s meagre funding in way of incentives which has started to flow toward energy saving equipment must be sustained at all costs and not stopped as being contemplated, at least not at this crucial stage.

Technologies to harness renewable sources of energy and the use of energy as efficiently as possible exist. If implemented, these would improve our energy security and reduce our emissions, causing climate change. It is vital therefore to consider how individual measures could be integrated to work in combination as part of an overall strategy to maximise their benefits. All willing it is still possible to meet our future electricity needs, in a variety of ways, and still cut carbon dioxide emissions from 1990 levels.

Roderick Galdes is Labour’s Spokesman for Planning