The United Nations Agenda 2030 was adopted in 2015. It identifies 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 169 targets through which it can be achieved.

In Nice, France, during this week, a UN Ocean Conference was held in support of Sustainable Development Goal number 14. The objective of this goal is the sustainable use of the sea and its resources. On paper, Malta, has always underlined its maritime vocation. In practice, however much still remains to be done to ensure that this is done.

It is fine when we ratify international environmental agreements and conventions. At the end of the day, however, what really matters is their observance in both letter and spirit as well as ensuring their implementation. Unfortunately, we still lag far behind in the observation of all matters environmental.

When addressing the United Nations General Assembly, way back in November 1967, Malta's then UN Ambassador Arvid Pardo had emphasised that "we are naturally vitally interested in the sea which surrounds us and through which we live and breathe".  This was stated in the context of Malta's seminal proposal on the seabed and its resources as the common heritage of mankind. A proposal which eventually led to the adoption of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982.

58 years after Arvid Pardo's input, we are still surrounded by the sea. It is our life, yet we do not always appreciate its uniqueness and importance.

58 years ago, just three years after independence, our natural maritime vocation as a nation was already clear. It was a vision which was, however, not developed over the years. We still lack a focused Ministry responsible for maritime policy: a ministry which should include all matters related to the sea which surrounds us, grouping together, under one political head, all maritime politics of relevance to the Maltese islands, matters which are currently scattered in the different Ministries.

A Ministry responsible for maritime policy could group together maritime transport, the blue economy, fisheries and aquaculture as well as marine protected areas and the rehabilitation and protection of coastal areas together with issues of ocean governance. It could also be responsible in ensuring that the Public Domain Act is implemented the soonest to ensure public access all along the coast and over time to reverse the commercialisation of the coast which has been going on for ages to our detriment.

During the Nice UN Ocean Conference, the European Union launched its Ocean Pact, which groups together all the EU's maritime policy areas and initiatives under one single and coordinated framework. Six priority areas for action have been identified, namely ocean health, the blue economy, supporting coastal and island communities, maritime security and defence, research and the strengthening of ocean governance and diplomacy.

This EU Ocean Pact is clearly an area which should be of considerable interest to Malta which now, 60 years after independence, should be in a position to be substantially more interested in matters concerning the politics of the sea. Sixty years ago, Arvid Pardo had shown one and all that the capability of taking the lead was not dependent on the size of your country but on your capability to think clearly and having a forward-looking vision.

The EU Ocean Pact is an opportunity through which Malta can better fulfil its maritime vocation in the European Union. We must, however, ensure that at home, responsibility for maritime matters is no longer fragmented and spread over a plurality of ministries, but rather grouped together.

This is an opportunity which we should not miss.

An architect and civil engineer, the author is a former Chairperson of ADPD-The Green Party in Malta.  [email protected] ,   http://carmelcacopardo.wordpress.com