Momentum said Friday it sees an urgent need to protect our environment and address the growing climate crisis on World Environment Day.

Matthew Agius, member of the executive committee of Momentum, said, "Environmental challenges are often discussed as a global issue, but Malta is not living in a bubble. Effects such as climate change are being felt in our daily lives. Over the past year alone, Malta has experienced a series of severe natural events and man-made environmental incidents that highlight how vulnerable we are, even as a small island."

In the last year alone, Malta experienced extreme weather conditions such as Storm Harry, a marine heatwave last summer, and prolonged frosty morning with large amounts of ice in Rabat, all indicating increasing stress on Mediterranean ecosystems.

Our contribution to environmental pollution seems to be at an all-time high following major environmental incidents during the last year. These include multiple scrapyard fires, such as those in Marsa, Għaxaq, and Mqabba, as well as the Dingli and Magħtab landfill fires, all of which generated heavy smoke and raised serious air quality concerns. And, this week, the Lourdes fireworks factory explosion polluting the air and contaminating the nearby soil and possibly our water table, which supplies water to agriculture and our drinking. These incidents highlight the environmental risks associated with waste management systems.

Agius said, "Every effort must be made to prevent man-made environmental incidents. This requires stronger regulation, better enforcement, and long-term planning that places people and nature before short-term interests. We should also make every effort to preserve Malta's natural environment."

Momentum believes that environmental considerations must be placed at the centre of decision-making. Every major project should be accompanied by a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment, and these assessments should be made public by default. Citizens have a right to know how developments will affect their environment, their communities, and future generations.

Moreover, it is no longer acceptable for public land to be continuously handed over to private development at the expense of the common good, such as the proposed new Sliema Lido and the encroachment of hotels along the coast. The natural environment should be protected.

Agius added, "The environmental challenges facing Malta are significant. However, we can choose to protect our natural heritage, strengthen environmental governance, and build a more sustainable future. The decisions we take today will determine the Malta we leave to our children tomorrow."