Two years ago, Michael O’Leary of Ryan Air warned us that the era of €10 air fares was over. This week Lufthansa announced that it will add environmental charges (up to €72) to its air fares applicable within the European Region. Other airlines will eventually follow.
Some are emphasising that this will impact our tourism industry. This will definitely be the case. But just think a little bit: our tourism industry has been generating substantial impacts on the environment. Is it not appropriate if we address these impacts the soonest?
We have a very clear choice. Either we address the environmental impacts ourselves or else nature itself will do the job.
Nature is ruthless: it does not negotiate. When the time is appropriate there will be no exceptions. Nature just reacts and sweeps away whatever and whoever lies in its path at the time of its choice. We have witnessed many a time how nature reacts. Matters can only get worse: drought, floods, rising temperatures, sea-level rise.
The European Climate Risk assessment published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) earlier this year has emphasised that we are extremely slow in developing and implementing climate change adaptation strategies. Climate risks, says the EEA, are growing at a much faster rate than our state of preparation for the impacts of climate change.
There is considerable resistance to the changes proposed to our economic activities. A case in point being the shipping and aviation industries. Over the years, as a result of intensive lobbying both shipping and aviation have been exempted from the provisions of the EU emissions trading scheme.
As a result of these exemptions, as a country we had ample time to prepare ourselves and ensure that both the shipping industry and the aviation industry were thoroughly prepared for the impacts of climate change. Instead of preparing ourselves and laying the groundwork for adequate adaptation, our country has made matters worse by ensuring that larger sections of our economy became dependent on the shipping and aviation industries.
The Freeport development and the ever-expanding tourism industry are a case in point. Their economic success is dependent on damaging the environment.
Who is to blame for this state of affairs? Our governments have repeatedly and deliberately chosen economic paths which are in deep contrast to their declared environmental objectives!
We need to align our economy with the environmental limits of the earth. More than that, we also need to adjust our way of living such that it is compatible with what nature can withstand. This, after all, is what sustainability is all about!
As a country we cannot act on our own. For our action to be of any significance it has to be coordinated with the international community. The various elements which constitute the EU Green Deal have this specific purpose in mind. The EU Green Deal seeks the coordinating of environmental remedial action at an EU level in order to ensure that the environmental damage caused to date is reversed and reduced. In addition, the EU Green Deal also seeks that we start repairing and restoring our surroundings. Thereby making good the accumulated environmental damage whilst continuously addressing the related social impacts.
It is unfortunate that well thought out environmental policies and directives are watered down as a result of the at times myopic political debate. As a result of the EU Parliament election results, matters can get worse, as those who campaigned against the implementation of the EU Green Deal have gained ground. The right-wing elements in the EU Parliament are stronger today than they were before.
In addition, there is a real danger of a right-wing victory at the polls in France in the coming days. It is pertinent to note that the French far-right’s proposals published earlier this week by Rassemblement National and its allies are at times in direct conflict with the EU Green Deal objectives.
Tackling climate change requires the courage to take tough decisions.
As islands, Malta and Gozo are very vulnerable to climate change impacts. We cannot keep postponing decisions into the future. We have an ethical responsibility towards future generations: the planet we have in trust should be in better shape when they take over. The longer we take to decide on the action required, the more painful the consequences.
We need to be at the forefront of the international climate debate. Our survival depends on early and appropriate action. Aligning the economy with the environment would be a good start.
An architect and civil engineer, the author is a former Chairperson of ADPD-The Green Party in Malta. [email protected] , http://carmelcacopardo.wordpress.com