Seven new environmental proposals were made by the Nationalist party on Friday, one of which focuses on a push for more pedestrian zones

The announcement was made by environment spokesperson Robert Cutajar together with MZPN President Gabriel Micallef.

"The time for putting up billboards saying the environment is a priority is over [...] we need to make proposals that are attainable and doable" Cutajar said.

"In order to achieve a proper quality of life in Malta, the environment plays an important role and this is what we aim to achieve through these proposals."

1.      Creating a tree map and green scoring system for all localities

In coordination with local councils, a PN led government would look into surveying the state of green spaces across Malta and Gozo.

"Through this evaluation, as a government we could promote certain incentives which are locality specific. There would also be incentives for local councils who make the environment their main priority [...] this would affect people's quality of life both directly and indirectly" Cutajar said.

2. Giving back green spaces to the public, regenerating public spaces and making roads environmentally friendly

"This is another important proposal which shows that we are not all talk. Through this proposal, we would be giving the necessary equipment and infrastructure to local councils to improve on the assessment the specific locality was given in the previous proposal," Cutajar said.

Through this proposal, Cutajar explained that if needed, new legislation would be drafted in order to give more power to the local councils in order to refrain from adding financial stress on the councils.

"There are certain spaces in a number of localities which have unfortunately turned into small landfills and they are an extreme eyesore for the people living in their vicinity. It also impacts their quality of life. This proposal aims to tackle these problems by giving the local councils the necessary infrastructure to do so."

3. Pedestrian zones in every locality

In consultation with residents from every locality, the PN proposes that in every locality a specific area would be closed off to cars. Cutajar said that there are limited areas in Malta and Gozo which are completely closed off to cars and a much needed "breath of fresh air" is needed in the hearts of localities.

"One cannot propose a pedestrian zone in every locality without thinking about the parking problems which would result. Therefore we would also be researching adequate parking spaces in order combat this problem," Cutajar said.

Cutajar also mentioned that when car parks would be constructed, sustainability would be at the heart of the decision making process. This means that spaces for electric car charging and renewable sources of energy would be included in the construction to help minimise the impact on the environment.

4. Protecting farmers and the land they farm while promoting biodiversity in urban spaces

"We want to avoid at all costs the situation certain farmers found themselves in when the government took the land they were farming"

This was all done at the expense of the biodiversity of our country, Cutajar said.

PN youth forum (MZPN) President Gabrial Micallef then announced the rest of the proposals.

5. Free access to public spaces

Micallef explained that this proposal is mainly related to green spaces and coastal access. "We recognise that free access to green spaces and coastal access is a fundamental right that people cannot ignore."

A PN led government would introduce a charter which would outline the rights and laws which pertain to public spaces and the access to them, Micallef explained. "These are practices which are commonly found in countries abroad."

6. National fund for the protection of historic buildings and gardens

A PN led government would buy back privately owned gardens and building which contribute to the national heritage of the country in order to properly maintain them.

"These buildings and gardens once bought and restored would be used by the local councils however they deem useful. This means that they could be used for civic centres, remote working hubs and also offices for NGO's," Micallef said.

7. Incentives for residential homes to become environmentally friendly

The introduction of green landscaping is not only for residential homes but also open to organisations who wish to use their facades and other spaces for green landscaping.

"As the Opposition, we recognise that the government has made an effort in this regard but it is less comprehensive than the one we are proposing today," Micallef said.