A project worth €450,000 with the aim of strengthening the Environmental Resources Authority’s (ERA) regulatory processes and of bringing the authority into line with the demands of the 21st century was launched on Tuesday morning.
The project, which is titled ‘Reform and Capacity-building in Permissions and Compliance at ERA’ and is funded by the European Commission’s Structural Reform Support Programme, will, ERA’s CEO Louise Spiteri said, see various improvements made to the Authority so to make it more efficient and professional in how it goes about its work and will serve as aid for ERA to improve its practices in compliance and enforcement in particular.
“Whilst there are various commendable environmental initiatives and actions, we still have a lot of work to do when it comes to enforcement. Regulations are not there to look good on paper. They are there to be implemented effectively, without fear or favour. And this is this government’s commitment and priority. We shall improve overall environmental governance,” the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Planning Aaron Farrugia said at ERA’s headquarters in Marsa.
Farrugia explained that ERA has embarked on this project in order to reform its permitting and compliance arms while also ensure capacity-building. “Quality of life is not only an economic matter. It is also an environmental one. That is why our priority is the protection of our environment. The Environment is also a matter of economic importance,” Farrugia said.
The Minister explained that this effort will, in turn, contribute to the national economic goals by enabling environmental regulation that does not put undue burden on businesses and operators whilst improving quality of life in the islands.
It will do so by strengthening the skills of its employees, introducing modern practices that are efficient, improving management and administration of data, and overall effective workings of the Authority, Farrugia explained.
“We will strengthen environmental enforcement overall, notably by ensuring that ERA has operative remits to effectively avoid and reduce adverse environmental impacts as well as to integrate environmental considerations, such as in development planning decisions and related follow-ups. There will be clear and transparent processes for the authorisation of permits, facilities and activities that have an impact on the environment,” Farrugia said.
“Ultimately, the goal is to reinforce the development of a strong environmental regulator that ensures activities respect environmental sustainability”, he concluded.
ERA’s CEO Louise Spiteri meanwhile said that the project will form part of the Authority’s efforts to enhancing professionalism and promoting responsibility, thoroughness, and teamwork in their regulators.
She noted that the number of regulators at the Authority has doubled since 2016 but, while their staff has the necessary qualifications, at an average age of 34 they also require on the job training.
She said that the authority would also be looking at models of practice from overseas in an effort to enhance their own structures, particularly in light of new technologies which can revolutionise the way the authority carries out its work.
Spiteri added that she was pleased to be working hand in hand with the European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL), through whom ERA can appreciate the richness of the network and what their international colleagues can offer.
Christoph Klockenbring from the directorate-general for structural reform support within the European Commission noted his pleasure at the fact that the project had been accepted for funding.
He observed that the new European Commission has given the green aspect a lot of importance and that this is a good occasion to get projects such as these done. He invited more projects such as these to be submitted for funding, and augured for all to take the best of the talks being held throughout the day.