Malta is heading into a sweltering spell next week, with temperatures forecast to feel well above 40°C for consecutive days, according to the Meteorological Office forecast.
Rising average temperatures lead to hotter summers and more frequent heatwaves. The rising temperatures are becoming an increasingly urgent public health issue in Malta and across southern Europe. As climate change intensifies the duration, frequency, and severity of heatwaves, the health risks associated with them are becoming an urgent concern for everyone, especially for the vulnerable population.
In Malta, where prolonged summer heat is common, managing exposure and preventing heat-related illness is now a critical public health priority. In recent years, heat has emerged as the deadliest weather-related hazard in Europe, surpassing floods, storms and cold events. In summer of 2022 alone, over 61,000 excess deaths were attributed to heat across Europe.
Heatwaves can rapidly impact large populations, triggering public health emergencies, excess deaths and economic disruption. Ageing populations and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases heighten the susceptibility of the population to the effects of extreme heat and prolonged exposure to hot weather.
In Malta, one observes how building of flats in cheap multi-tiered blocks with little or no thermal insulation, coupled with poor infrastructure, limited greenspace and little sewage infrastructure updates continue to worsen the exposure to heat. All this exacerbates the pace and scale of climate-driven changes. Critics state this may outstrip natural and managed adaptation capacities. Our fragile ecosystems may face permanent shifts or degradation if wildfire frequency and intensity exceed thresholds. Other socioeconomic factors, such as land abandonment or urban expansion, can complicate adaptation efforts.
The recent planning laws to regulate farmland and ODZ plots has created a coordinated opposition from society. The Protection of Agricultural Land Regulations come into force later this year, though landowners will have a six-month period to register their land with the government.
Agriculture Minister Anton Refalo's announcement of the legal provisions sparked a measure of outcry and concern among some landowners, who were especially alarmed at a provision that will allow the government to acquire effective possession of any land that remains unregistered, to allocate to a registered farmer. Farmland in Malta is scarcer - and far more expensive - than in any other EU country, given our small size and dense population.
This new law was unveiled just days after another piece of legislation concerning farmland: a law that will allow people who built illegally on ODZ (Outside Development Zone) land to get away with it, if they pay a fine. As an island of a mere 316 sq.km. with intense building spread along the coastline, Malta shares a risk of facing the effects of future rising seas.
As ocean water warms, it expands. This thermal expansion contributes to rising sea levels because warmer water occupies more volume. Even a small increase in average ocean temperature can lead to noticeable sea level rise over time.
Higher sea levels increase the frequency and severity of coastal flooding, potentially threatening our homes, freeport infrastructure, fish farms and ecosystems. Rising seas in the Mediterranean can push saltwater into freshwater aquifers, contaminating drinking water supplies and agricultural soils. Yet, as for heatwaves we are not singled out in central Mediterranean as the European climate monitoring service reported a third-hottest July worldwide. This marked a string of record-breaking temperatures last month, but many regions were still devastated by extreme wildfires amplified by global warming. Our government, environmental organisations and the media increasingly acknowledge the awareness reflected in climate adaptation strategies.
Have we invested enough in the armed forces to be able to combat fire management policies? So far this year, we were spared the ravages of wildfires yet wisely Castille has sent calls for stronger climate action to mitigate future risks. Climate scientists widely agree that rising global temperatures contribute to drier conditions, prolonged heatwaves, and reduced soil moisture, all of which increase wildfire risk.
Climate change affects the frequency of wildfires in Europe through several interconnected mechanisms that create conditions more favourable for fires to ignite and spread. Studies have shown that climate change has already made heatwaves more intense and frequent in Europe, creating conditions conducive to wildfires. Recent years have seen a notable increase in the number, size and intensity of wildfires across southern and central Europe, including countries like Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Greece. These fires often occur during unusually hot and dry periods, consistent with climate change projections.
Elevated temperatures accelerate the drying of vegetation, turning forests and grasslands into highly flammable fuel. Climate change also manifested in heavy rains flooded Pakistan and northern China. On another extreme Canada, Scotland, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Greece struggled to tame wildfires intensified by persistent drought; and many nations in Asia and Scandinavia recorded new average highs temperatures. Italian firefighters last week tackled a wildfire on the flanks of Mount Vesuvius, with all hiking routes up the volcano near Naples closed to tourists. The national fire service said it had 12 teams on the ground and six Canadair planes fighting the blaze, which has last week torn through the national park in southern Italy. July was also the third hottest month recorded in Norway since records began in 1901, with temperatures 2.8 degrees Celsius higher that the seasonal average nationwide, according to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute.
A two-week heatwave, between 12 and 25 July, was also the hottest ever recorded in the country. As stated earlier, climate change increases the frequency of wildfires in Europe by creating hotter, drier, and longer-lasting conditions that favour fire ignition and spread.
This trend poses significant challenges for ecosystems, human health and infrastructure, emphasising the need for enhanced fire management and climate mitigation efforts. European ecosystems are adapting to increased wildfire frequency through natural regeneration and shifts in species composition, supported by active land and fire management practices. However, the rapid changes driven by climate change require enhanced, coordinated efforts to sustain ecosystem resilience and protect biodiversity.
George M. Mangion is a Senior Partner at PKF Malta
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