The Energy Crisis in the context of Climate Change

The energy crisis is a global socio-economic challenge, where a constrained supply of energy and its diminished availability, is increasing energy prices for consumers. Politicians seem to have, unfortunately, only recently woken up to the consequences that have emerged from a more limited supply of energy.

Russia’s war on Ukraine raging on the European border together with climate change and the repercussions of depletion will necessitate drastic action if economic and environmental disaster is to be prevented. Such action would need the replacement of both energy production infrastructure and much of our energy consumption infrastructure, which was built to take advantage of the capabilities of fossil fuels.

The false assumption that countries must pursue economic growth for the rest of the century, regardless of how rich they have already become, creates a problem as economic growth is projected to drive a significant increase in energy demand over the coming decades, making it more challenging to decarbonize the economy.

Although economic growth is commonly used by policymakers as a representative of human development and societal advancement, ecological economists suggest that high-income countries should adopt post-growth policies aimed at keeping economies stable and supporting strong social outcomes without the need for economic growth. A clear example is Spain which significantly outperforms the USA in key social indicators such as a life expectancy that is five years longer, despite having 55% less GDP per capita. Post-growth policies also contribute towards achieving the Paris Climate goals of keeping global warming below 1.5 °C or 2 °C. It is indeed a fact that if high-income nations continue to grow at usual rates, they will need to decarbonize their economic output by more than 12% per year, creating a significant challenge.

Empirical research shows a substantial link between GDP and energy use. According to post-growth research, high income countries should abandon GDP growth in favor for providing for human needs and well-being. To examine the link between GDP and resource use, the total weight of raw materials taken from the host region, plus all physical imports minus all physical imports, is the traditional metric for quantifying an economy’s resource consumption. This offers an idea of an economy’s resource efficiency. When GDP exceeds domestic material consumption, or DMC, the economy becomes more resource efficient. The European Union uses GDP/DMC to track progress toward green growth. It is also the OECD’s annual Green Growth indicators report’s lead statistic.

Empirical data demonstrates that while absolute decoupling of GDP from emissions is possible and is already happening in some regions, it is unlikely to happen fast enough to respect the carbon budgets for 1.5°C and 2°C against a background of continued economic growth. Growth increases energy demand, making the transition to renewable energy more difficult, and increases emissions from land use change and industrial processes. Models that do project green growth within the constraints of the Paris Agreement rely heavily on negative emissions technologies that are either unproven or dangerous at scale. Without these technologies, the rates of decarbonisation is significantly steeper than extant models suggest is feasible even with harsh competitive policies.

The Energy Crisis and Putin’s war on Ukraine

Russia began reducing gas supplies before the war on Ukraine began. However, Russia’s suspended supplies have exacerbated the energy crisis, particularly since Russia used to contribute 40% of Europe’s natural gas, and much more to Germany, where cheap energy was an economic cornerstone.

Russia has suspended supplies of inexpensive natural gas, on which the continent has relied on to power industry, produce electricity and heat homes. As a result, European governments are scrambling for additional sources and strategies to mitigate the impact as economic development slows and home electricity prices soar. Following the Nord Stream 1 pipeline shutdown, Russian gas supplies have dropped 89% year on year.

High energy prices are already threatening to produce a recession this winter due to record inflation, with consumers having less money to spend as food, gasoline, and utility prices surge. A total shutdown may cause even more havoc on an already ailing economy.

Companies also warn that they frequently cannot switch to alternative energy sources such as fuel, oil, or electricity to create heat overnight. In addition, as everyone looks for other sources, the prices of fuel, oil and coal have soared.

What is being done?

Energy security will continue to be a serious challenge at the center of European energy strategy and a need for a more resilient society. Despite this uncertainty, EU leaders have emphasized the significance of sticking to our goal in becoming climate-neutral by 2050.
The European Union has taken the following three major measures to reduce the cost of energy:

1. Reducing electricity use
2. Capping revenues of electricity producers
3. A solidarity contribution from fossil fuels

The EU’s priority in its response to the energy crisis is to ensure affordable and competitive energy for its consumers, increase the EU’s energy security and preparedness in the event of emergencies and to strengthen the energy resilience and autonomy of EU countries. Malta, however, has chosen not to participate in this plan to reduce energy consumption, which will in turn make it even more difficult for Malta to work towards decarbonisation.

Nevertheless, the lack of awareness and selfish mentality must be replaced by proper education campaigns that run through each and every member state to teach children and adults to reduce their household energy costs now more than ever before.

The post Tackling the Energy Crisis and Climate Change Require Reducing Energy Use – But We Are Not Doing Nearly Enough l XR appeared first on The Third Eye.

Administrative Board:

• Chairperson – Kris Bajada
• Vice Chairperson for Internal Affairs – Isabel Mallia
• Vice Chairperson for External Affairs – Zosia Stelmaszczyk
• Secretary General – AnneMarie Gonzi
• Treasurer – Kevin Vella Zammit
• Artistic Director – Lana Berty Spiteri
• Logistics Manager – Leandros Catania
• Events Officer – Robert Castaldi

Executive Board:

• Educational Officer – Miguel Azzopardi
• Educational Officer – Maia Zammit
• Policy and Collaborative Officer – Luke Said
• Media Manager – Travis Camilleri
• Events Coordinator – Zachary Farrugia
• Events Coordinator – Lina Iskhakova
• Events Coordinator – Katya Rollason
• Events, Arts, and Social Media Coordinator – Emily G. Robinson

Presidential Comment

I would like to thank the newly elected Executive Committee of Extinction Rebellion Malta for putting their faith in me to once again take on the role of Chairperson.

I feel privileged and honoured to be working with some of the most enthusiastic and dedicated individuals. I know together we will make Extinction Rebellion Malta bigger, better, and stronger than ever before!

I am pleased to announce that during this term, Extinction Rebellion Malta plans on addressing the climate crisis in a new holistic way by working on social issues, infrastructural regulations, and policy proposals. We strongly feel that by adopting this new holistic outlook that the climate crisis can be strongly tackled. 

We will also continue working with organisations and policy makers as together, we can truly contribute to making a better world for all.

Lastly, I would like to thank the incredible Executive Members for their tireless work, while being keen to embark on this new journey with this newly elected executive.

Let us together be the change we wish to see.

Kris Bajada, Extinction Rebellion Malta Chairperson

The Third Eye wishes the new executive the best of luck for their upcoming term!

The post Kris Bajada to lead Extinction Rebellion for the third consecutive year appeared first on The Third Eye.

The probability of a tsunami in Malta is highly likely within the next few decades. It won’t wait for anyone, and the Maltese Islands need to be prepared for anything.

Rising sea levels are posing a threat to millions of people around the world. Scientific evidence indicates that the temperature in the Mediterranean Sea has been increasing 20% quicker than any other sea and ocean due to global warming.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reported that there is a 100% chance of a Mediterranean tsunami occurring in the next three decades. This is already being witnessed in many other places already affected by rising sea levels including Greece, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, Somalia, Tanzania, South Africa, and Australia. For these countries, continuing with our current trajectory basically means that these countries will cease to exist.

One of many effects of a tsunami on the Maltese Islands is that, for example, aquifers and subterranean infrastructure will be jeopardised while anything below the level of the Valletta Bastions will sink. It is also highly probable that Msida, Sliema and St. Julians as well as Ċirkewwa will flood while Għadira will come close to splitting the main island in two.

Furthermore, the Blue Lagoon in Comino will most likely be completely lost and bays such as the Santa Marija and San Niklaw bays will expand inwards due to the rising sea levels. On the other hand, Gozo will not be as badly impacted, as only a small number of bays would be affected. However, the inland sea in Dwejra will still move inbound.

What can be done to prepare ourselves

As a country that is at high-risk of a tsunami occurrence, Malta must improve upon its education on the subject of climate change. As it stands, education on climate change and its effects are sub-par and does not do enough to educate young people on the severity of it. Thus, Malta must put in greater efforts in its education of this subject, focusing on teaching young children and teenagers on understanding climate change, how to help reduce it with their own small efforts and how best to prepare for climate catastrophes.

All children need to be properly thought on how to shelter in place till the earthquake passes and then seek their way to higher ground away from coastal areas to avoid the walls of water the tsunami triggers.

Countries which have already experienced earthquakes and tsunamis have also learned that better building codes can save lives and prevent damage.

What action is being taken

The Maltese islands are currently not equipped with a national tsunami warning centre.

Malta will join six other Mediterranean countries through a 30-month EU funded project called CoastWAVE identifying localities which need to be tsunami-ready, culminating in the installation of a permanent tsunami-alerting system.

In the case of Malta, Marsaxlokk has been appointed as a case study to become the first ‘Tsunami ready’ area, carrying out its first tsunami drill last November.  To be tsunami ready,  it needs to satisfy twelve key indicators such as hazard preparedness and response.

Malta is also preparing to set up activities that will lead to a national tsunami-ready plan. UNESCO also aims to evaluate local tsunami response plans and improve regional coordination.

As a nation we need to recognise that rising sea-levels are an ongoing threatening reality which needs more awareness. Ignoring the problem will not make it go away and every one of us has an obligation to support initiatives to reduce the impact of climate change while also learning from the mistakes of other countries already hit by tsunamis.

Therefore, it is crucial that such threats to our livelihoods are taken seriously, by taking the correct steps to prevent and mitigate the problems that could arise from being unprepared for such extreme instances. Being prepared for such events means the difference between saving lives and losing them; the government must no longer delay in addressing this problem.

Event Details

On the 23rd of July, XR Malta will be hosting a pub quiz at The Anvil Pub, all about tsunamis and their impact on our environment and lives. It is a great way to learn more about the issue whilst playing fun games to win a great prize!

For more Articles written by XR Malta click here!

The post Malta needs to be tsunami-ready but we are nowhere near prepared | XR appeared first on The Third Eye.

By virtue of our nature as human beings, we are endowed with inalienable rights which throughout time, have been granted to us in the form of constitutions and universal human rights declarations. As these are our rights, it should be up to governments to protect them and ensure that everyone has the freedom to enjoy them. That being said, it is just as important for us to be aware of what our rights are, what we deserve in a democratic society, and what we’ve earned as citizens of this country. However, it must also be remembered that along with the rights which we possess, we are also shouldered with corresponding responsibilities and duties. To this end, the Malta National Youth Council (KNŻ – Kunsill Nazzjonali taż-Żgħażagħ) has been conducting an awareness campaign concerning the state of human rights in Malta in addition to the duties and responsibilities which accompany such rights.

As part of this campaign, KNŻ organised a panel discussion in commemoration of Human Rights Day, on the 10th of December 2021, with the event being titled ‘Freedom and Abuse in an Online World: Where do our rights end and responsibilities begin?’. The panel consisted of Athlete and Social Media Influencer Sarah Chouhal, Police Inspector John Spiteri, lawyer, activist and PL electoral candidate Naomi Cachia, and lawyer, activist and PN electoral candidate Emma Portelli Bonnici. Together, the panellists disseminated several topics emerging from the campaign’s main theme, whilst also providing their own insight into the Maltese context in relation to hate speech and online abuse on social media. Furthermore, the panellists also spoke up about their own personal experiences and views with regards to the issues being discussed, ranging from the role of social media companies in combatting online abuse, and the dichotomy between our duties as citizens, and the freedoms chosen by KNŻ as the focal point of this campaign.

Specifically, KNŻ has chosen to focus on freedom of expression particularly, freedom of the press and freedom of speech, with an emphasis on these rights as exercised in a modern setting, particularly via the use of social media, online platforms and technology as a whole. Prior to delving deeper, we must begin by defining these freedoms, and asses exactly what they entail. In so far as definitions are concerned, freedom of speech and freedom of the press stem from freedom of expression, as we see laid out in the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), and which is described as follows:

“1. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This Article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises.

2. The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties and responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, or for maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary. ”

Having laid out the background, one can now conceptualise the theory behind such fundamental freedoms and how they are executed in practice. The campaign sought to draw attention towards the various means in which these rights may operate. Whilst we still make use of more traditional avenues in which we can express ourselves as individuals, particularly by putting pen to paper in order to publish our thoughts, there are several modern methods which can also be used, thus transforming the way in which these rights are perceived by society at large, and the platforms through which they are exercised.

As we have moved from print to a more digital press, so have we adopted a more virtual means of expressing ourselves, and of communicating with one another, beyond purely verbal and physical methods. Amongst the virtual means which we utilise nowadays, one of the most commonly used is undoubtedly social media, with this manifesting itself in the form of several online platforms and outlets, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok amongst others. Now it goes without saying that these platforms have proven to be tools for good and have unleashed a great deal of potential. Nevertheless, social media has also caused exposure to a good amount of harm, with this damage being inflicted through hate speech, harassment, and online abuse. Malta is certainly no stranger to all this, with the comment sections of several news outlets and online platforms often being riddled with mean-spirited remarks, with some also hiding behind the appearance of a fake profile.

It’s easy for people sitting in the comfort of their own homes to hide behind a screen and spew such vile comments. What’s even more important to remember is that such actions have consequences, including legal ones, for those committing these acts, but these consequences can also have considerable ramifications for whoever’s on the receiving end of them. Our rights and freedoms as individuals do not stand in isolation, as they ought to never be absent from the duties and responsibilities which accompany them, and which must never be forgotten. To this end, KNŻ is currently working on issuing a report consisting of recommendations which had emerged from throughout the panel discussion, and this campaign as a whole.

The post Rights Alongside Responsibilities appeared first on The Third Eye.

Present in the meeting where PN members Karl Goulder and Michael Piccinino, along with Kris Bajada – XR Chair, Isabel Mallia -XR Secretary General, Zofia Stelmaszczyk – XR Vice President, and Kevin Vella Zammit – XR Treasurer.

Extinction Rebellion Malta had a list of topics they wished to discuss with the PN members. The topics consisted of:

Impact on Mental and Physical Health

During the first four months of 2019, 105 people died from chronic asthma as stated by Chris Fearne in Parliament. It has also been found first biggest reason of deaths in Malta are cardiovascular diseases, with 25% of the population suffering from obesity.

The second biggest death in the country was found to be respiratory diseases – in the first four months of 2019, 105 people died from chronic asthmas as stated by Chris Fearne.

Furthermore, according to WHO, 120,000 people in Malta are living with a mental disorder, and it has been proven that the global pandemic is worsening the situation.

Solutions were mentioned by XR in order to combat these problems. They mentioned how more green areas in Malta would reduce air pollutions and invite people to engage in physical activity and to spend time in a calm and healthy environment.

Environmental Committees and Developments

Previously, the Nationalist Party had proposed the creation of a new agency focused on climate change, therefore, XR feels that the PN would be open to the suggestion that there should be the introduction of more stringent Environmental Impact Assessments to be performed on new development in areas.

Moreover, XR believes that environmental organisations should have a larger say in the development of property.

Energy Generation and Sustainability

When it comes to energy generation and sustainability, XR feels that the following should implemented: the continuation of subsidies for pv installations, the development of implementation of offshore wind turbine farm, a law which states that all new domestic and industrial buildings be as energetically efficient as possible, and that all government buildings should achieve LEED certification within the next five years.

Transport

XR proposed that short-term plans should also be implemented along with long-term plans such as the metro system. Short-term plans would include wider pavements and an increase in bike lanes, which would encourage more people to travel by bicycle.

Food and Hydroponics

XR proposed the following points with regards to the importance of food and food water:

• Tackling food waste

Illegalising food waste due to packaging damage – instead, donating to a food bank. Furthermore, they also proposed that there should be a law requiring all supermarkets to have discount sections for short dated items.

• Increasing vegetarian\vegan food availability

Proposed a law requiring all food outlets to have a minimum of 10% vegan and 10% vegetarian options.

• Public awareness campaign

Environmental impact of beef and dairy by the use of public campaigns.

Extinction Rebellion Malta mentioned the above mentioned points to the members of the Nationalist Party and discussed the possibility of these new laws and proposals being enacted. While there was agreement on some of the points, others have to be thought of in more detail, however there is still the possibility of them being implemented in the future.

XR meeting with other political parties

Moreover, XR have met and are meeting with different political parties which include but are not limited to Volt and The government represented by Aaron Farrugia to speak about the climate crisis as they believe it is an important topic and one which should be taken more seriously.

The post Extinction Rebellion Malta Fights Climate Crisis One Political Party at a Time appeared first on The Third Eye.

Even in a ‘do everything right scenario’ we would still breach this target, and only keep warming to this level through the use of negative-emissions technologies (technologies which barely exist and cannot yet be used at scale). Yet, a more careful reading of the report would reveal something else. The 1.5-degree target is beyond reach because our current political and economic systems are incapable of dealing with a crisis of this scale.

Are there any solutions?

Faced with a crisis of monumental proportions that requires a systemic response, our politicians are only capable of incremental and tokenistic solutions. Our politicians proudly boast about electrifying the car fleet while ignoring the environmental and social impacts of material extraction, thus avoiding uncomfortable questions about the sustainability of a car-dependent transport model. They talk of building a ‘hydrogen-ready’ pipeline while ignoring the fact that the pipeline will be used to transport gas and most of the hydrogen available today comes from burning fossil fuels. They boast about creating green areas while doing nothing to curb an unregulated and out-of-control construction sector. They talk about the need to incentivise certain practices, but never about disincentivising or simply halting environmentally harmful ones.

Assumptions of incremental changes have been built into the IPCC report’s models itself, as the report is not only a synthesis of existing scholarship, but also one that must be approved by all governments (though scientists can veto any suggestions that are politically convenient, but scientifically illiterate).

Incremental change is not how you deal with an emergency. What we need is system change. We need to transform our political and economic institutions, as well as our underlying cultural assumptions, so that they recognise our interconnectedness with nature and the intrinsic value of the living world.

What will become of Malta’s Climate?

If we continue down our current path, Malta will definitely become a desert. Malta will become uninhabitable, impossible to grow crops, and the heatwaves we experienced this summer will become a permanent seasonal feature. And it will only get worse.

Nowhere are our politicians disconnecting with reality clearer than in how our Minister for the Environment, Hon. Aaron Farrugia, bragged about down-negotiating our emissions target to 19% by 2030. Let’s be clear. A 19% reduction in emissions by 2030 (if followed by other countries) would mean the death of millions, perhaps billions of people. It would mean we would cross crucial tipping points in the climate system that would profoundly alter the climatic conditions that have allowed humans to flourish in the past 10,000 years. An abysmally low emissions target like the one our politicians are proposing is a target over which governments elsewhere have been taken to court on human rights grounds, and lost.

In the climate and ecological crisis, five centuries of colonialism have finally come to their pitiful, logical and terrifying end. Europeans have not only conquered, subdued and destroyed other human cultures through five centuries of colonialism – we have also conquered and destroyed nature itself.

But we are part of nature, not separate from it. In destroying nature, we also destroy ourselves. In defending nature, however, we defend ourselves. Every fraction of a degree matters, and it is not too late to turn things around.

Thus, on the 18th of September, we will be protesting in solidarity with the rest of the global climate strike movement and asking our politicians to treat this crisis like the emergency it is. The only way to make our politicians act on this existential threat is to force them to. This means protests and other tactics of civil disobedience to make our voices heard. Together, we must force them into action. Join us!

Read More from XR here!

The post Global Climate Strike: A Call for Help | XR appeared first on The Third Eye.

Written by Miguel Azzopardi

On the fifth anniversary of the Paris agreement, activists from Fridays from Future warned us that the action needed is ‘nowhere in sight’ and that we are still in ‘a state of complete denial’. They are correct. The world is in danger of missing Paris climate targets because politicians haven’t enacted any policies to stop the use of fossil fuels or reduce human pressures on the environment. The gap between what we are doing and what needs to be done continues to grow wider.

Observers and activists from Fridays from Future have repeatedly warned that committing to targets in the distant future is far from enough, especially when we only have perhaps seven years (or maybe less) left before we will have put enough carbon in the atmosphere to breach 1.5 degrees of warming. Business as usual hasn’t solved the climate crisis so far, and it’s definitely not going to in the future. It’s what put us in this situation in the first place.

How many ‘Mass Extinctions’ is too many?

We are currently living through the sixth mass extinction in Earth’s history – a fact often forgotten or brushed aside. Locally, this has been helped in no part by a developmentalist mindset seeking to destroy every piece of natural land and replace it with apartments with the only goal of making a short-term profit. The collusion between developers, government, the (inappropriately named) ‘Planning’ Authority and the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects has led to the unprecedented destruction of our open and natural spaces. This is often also done with the blessing of ERA, which are meant to be protecting – not sanctioning the destruction – of our natural environment. The situation is bad enough that some scholars claim that our islands’ biodiversity has changed more in the past ten years than in the past nine thousand.

How Can We Solve the Climate Crisis?

Solving the climate crisis will require fundamentally rethinking the type of society we want. This would require considering alternatives such as Kate Raworth’s doughnut economic model, which places our social and ecological well-being at its centre, as well as contemplating a carefully planned and socially just reduction in excess resource and energy use in a way that maintains or improves wellbeing (i.e. degrowth). It would also require us to think more ecologically and see ourselves as part of nature, rather than superior to it. Our politicians have shown zero interest in tackling our environmental and social grievances, preferring instead to cling on to old ideas that measure prosperity solely based on increasing how much we produce and consume – a ridiculous idea that is long past its sell-by date.

To make matters worse, current ‘net-zero’ targets are woefully inadequate and insufficient, leaving a gargantuan amount of emissions unaccounted for and being based on scenarios relying on fictitious negative-emissions technology. 5.5 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions are not covered by the targets. Emissions from aviation, shipping, imported goods, and the burning of biomass have all been ignored.

2050 Targets: Mission Impossible?

The scenarios which 2050 targets overwhelmingly rely on the possibility that speculative negative-emissions technologies can be developed and deployed at scale. These technologies currently barely exist and cannot be realistically scaled. Scientists have repeatedly condemned this approach, because they are based on the idea that we can continue burning fossil fuels in a vain hope that someday, somehow, we’ll magically be able to suck those emissions back down from the atmosphere. Political leaders continue to pay lip service to these warnings preferring instead to deny the gravity of the crisis while safeguarding the interests of those who benefit from the current system.

What Future?

This lack of action constitutes nothing less than a betrayal of current and future generations. We thus affirm our core demands, for politicians to tell the truth about the climate and ecological emergency, to act on this emergency, and to establish a citizens’ assembly in the absence of adequate systems and institutions to deal with this crisis. If politicians were serious about tackling the climate and ecological crisis, they would be taking immediate action, not waiting another 10, 20 or another 30 years in the vain hope that the problem will somehow go away. Since they have broken their social contract to protect the interests of their citizens, it is time to let citizens themselves deliberate on these issues, as should happen in a truly democratic society.

More by Extinction Rebellion Malta here!

The post How Many ‘Mass Extinctions’ is Too Many? | XR appeared first on The Third Eye.

Written by Jacob Callus and Miguel Azzopardi

The recent proposed extension to Ta’ Qali National Park has stirred up a great deal of controversy. The artist’s impression of the proposed design looks like anything but a ‘park’.

The extension is characterised by a flyover, concert area, high steel structures, and an overall lack of greenery in comparison to a high proportion of concrete. The concert area not only characterizes the planned extension but dominates the plan – occupying most of the space. It appears to be designed with the usual Infrastructure Malta logic: choose complex, expensive infrastructure over simpler, more natural, and often more effective, interventions.

A Flyover in Ta’ Qali?

The building of a flyover was not justified or explained. From speculation, it appears it will serve the purpose of an elevated cycle lane, seemingly to be used also by joggers. Whilst the extension as a whole will undoubtedly serve as a greater collection of open spaces for the general public, a daunting elevated cycle lane, concert area, and flyover will certainly dampen any leisure or intended relaxation. Ultimately, a park is meant to both an open, natural and public space – yet the design crushes the very spirit of this aim.

C is for Concrete, Concert and Commercialization

Put simply, this proposed extension is dominated by a concert venue but is being advertised as a park. Incorporating a concert area not only commercializes the Ta’ Qali area, but destroys a number of trees which seemingly disappear in the renderings. The generous use of concrete in the boulevards, concert venue and flyover begs the question of who actually benefits from this extension. IM regularly engages contractors and the construction industry for its projects, in ways which are questionable – especially when ODZ land is involved.

Accommodating the interests of these contractors and developers, seems to be – time and time again – the top priority. This is done at the expense of the public interest whose interests in such projects are secondary. Will this artificial extension be used as another direct-order-opportunity for these profit-making groups?

Disconnecting from Nature

Parks are generally designed to imitate nature, serving as a place for reconnection with nature, away from our overdeveloped urban areas. They should integrate nature into their design, and not be at odds with it. Designs shouldn’t cater for noise, concrete, and discomfort, but accommodate leisure, relaxation and recreation. What this proposal is doing instead is concreting over large areas with wide boulevards with trees to be admired ‘from a distance’. Rather than reconnecting with nature, this extension reinforces our separation from it, although in a way more subtle than building over it outright.

Read more on Extinction Rebellion Malta‘s fight for the Environment here!

The post Ta’ Qali: National Park or Concrete Mess? | XR appeared first on The Third Eye.

Written by Miguel Azzopardi

Malta’s current political system is broken beyond repair – an unsurprising fact to careful observers. Meaningful debates are stifled by a two-party system and an entrenched partisan divide that seeks to spin issues into being in favour or against the interests of a particular party. For a growing number of people, disillusioned with the way local politics operates, there is no party that can claim to represent them.

The Problem with Two-Party Systems

Two-party systems are unsuited to reflect diversities of opinion. It is no surprise that countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom which also boast two-party systems have found themselves respectively intertwined with deeply divisive societal crises. As it stands, no major party, whichever that may be, is regarded as competent enough to solve. The Maltese reality is that a majority of individuals still consider family allegiances a significant consideration when it comes to casting their vote – something that is rather telling of the nature of partisan influence.

So too is the willful embrace of corruption and the acceptance of favour-trading by a notable part of the population as something desirable within the local political scene. A binary form of thinking which sees everyone representing one side or the other predominates, making it impossible to focus on the crucial issues at hand.

The Activist Lens

From an activist’s perspective, the two-party system currently in place is a poisonous context under which the country operates. Far too often, activists are deemed to be a threatening force against the Government or a particular party, reinforcing the reality that a poor outlook on activism exists and is a product of founded political bias. Education has failed to provide a meaningful space in which subjects of a political nature can be easily debated so much so that politics has become somewhat of a taboo subject, both at home and on school grounds. The national University itself is another example of such, afflicted by factionalism thus making cooperation between departments difficult at times. Partisanship, in the meantime, deflects the focus from significant issues and obscures similarities between the two major parties.

Why Neo-Liberalism in a Two-Party System?

Both of Malta’s major political parties have taken neo-liberal ideologies to heart, oblivious to the fact that neo-liberalism rests on extremely flawed and dubious theoretical foundations. Global inequality has risen to such extreme heights, it is now comparable – if not worse – to those present in France before the fall of the ancien régime in the French Revolution. Pursuing neo-liberal policies at home and entrusting public goods to the private sector risks replicating similar high levels of inequality which are present globally.

While the disadvantaged struggle to make ends meet, we look towards the notorious Mercury Tower in Paceville rising above Malta’s skyline feeding the property magnate’s – Joseph Portelli – corpulent pockets. With Portelli’s (continuously growing) property empire, it is hard not to feel that he, and others like him, have garnered a level of privileged power that is comparable to, if not more than, that of a feudal lord.

Two-Party Systems: A Hurdle for Change

It is not rare that lobby groups, like the MDA, pass on the burden of proposals we, as activists, have put forth onto the people. We were once told that if we wished for more stringent environmental requirements for buildings, the MDA would have to pass the extra costs onto the people. But, why must the MDA pass on this burden when they themselves have profited so much from lax (or non-existent) planning policies? For movements that seek to bring about transformative societal change – some being Extinction Rebellion Malta, Moviment Graffitti, and Young Progressive Beings – the two-party system is an unfortunate context in which these groups have to use their voice.

Few left-wing activists genuinely believe that political parties are capable of confronting powerful lobbies to bring about meaningful change. Grassroots activism is the main and most effective means of bringing about positive and progressive change. It is by creating significant connections with all people that broader movements and coalitions can be built as well as thrive, holding governments accountable. The demonisation of activists – in the name of defending the party, government or the nation – reduces the efficiency of these tactics but nonetheless, it is the best strategy we have.

Monetising Human Relationships

Political parties, but often also society, fail to discuss the issues that have led us to the situation we are in now. The monetisation of basic human relationships with ourselves, others, as well as the environment, is perhaps the main cause of the confluence of crises we find ourselves in right now: the pandemic, the climate crisis, rampant inequality.

It is telling perhaps that post-growth thinking – a school of thought that places societal and ecological well-being within the centre of public policy – has not yet made much of an imprint within Malta. In placing care work, the restoration of the commons, ecological limits, wealth redistribution, and greater autonomy at the centre of public policy, this school of thought is fundamentally at odds with the current economic and political framework and is likely to provoke the derision of vested interests.

If our well-being mattered to our politicians, the least they could do is talk about it but even on that front, they generally fail. We hear much about how we need to stimulate ‘economic growth’ and how we are a ‘strong nation’, with well-being rarely featuring, if at all. Black-and-white thinking (which is itself a symptom of a dysfunctional two-party system) frames complex geopolitical and socio-economic realities as questions of ‘us’ and ‘them’ while growth is presented as the antidote to a failed economic system. The repetition of these mantras, once again, deflects attention from deeper issues and stifles the debate.

Capitalism = Inequality + Environmental Degredation

Nowhere is there a local discussion with regards to how capitalism itself is a driver of inequality and environmental degradation. The IPBES recently identified encroachment into wilderness areas, industrial farming and unsustainable consumption as a driver of pandemics. Our unhealthy relationship with nature has initiated the current global pandemic, similarly to how it has aggravated and fueled the ongoing global climate crisis.

This applies to social contexts as well. When we assign everything a monetary value, we displace people and human relationships from our frame of understanding. Women, for example, end up with a disproportionate weight of work as they are expected to both contribute professionally while also being entrusted with an inordinate share of care work – an undervalued field precisely because it cannot be monetised. This creates reversion to socially constructed gender roles, especially in times of crisis similar to the present day. 

Closing Words

Social justice cannot be achieved within a capitalist system because capitalism itself is defined by inequality. Nowhere in our political spectrum is there an acknowledgement that the crises we face are systemic and that technocratic interventions are unlikely to go far. There is a profound spiritual and imaginative deficit in the way we talk and think about society, stifled by partisanship, vested interests and a broad acceptance of the status quo. A principal way of overcoming this is by playing a more active role in the creation of a better society.

Democracy is not just something we exercise every five years when we go to elect our politicians. In the words of Serge Latouche, there is an urgent need to ‘[liberate] the imaginary’ and to reimagine a fairer, better society for all.

The post Activism in a Two-Party System | XR appeared first on The Third Eye.

Written by Miguel Azzopardi and Krizia Testa

Major concerns have been brought up regarding the roadworks currently occurring on ODZ land in Dingli. The roadworks exceed the area specified in the 2006 Local Plan, going beyond the ODZ line. Therefore, according to the Planning Authority, the works require a permit. However, this has not been hung up on-site and has not been provided by Infrastructure Malta when repeatedly requested by activists and Dingli residents. In fact, over 200 residents signed a petition objecting to the works, which not only endanger several 300-year-old carob trees but also threaten a medieval church from the 1400s.

The Salesians of Don Bosco, who own part of the ODZ land being lost to the roadworks, have publicly stated that they were left uninformed of the works on their land, right up until the diggers appeared on site. Their property is still in the process of being expropriated and the compensation due has never been discussed and not yet received. Other landowners have also shared similar experiences during the latest press release.

The local council’s approval of the project has also been dogged by conflicts of interest. Three Dingli councillors backed the ODZ road works, including Dingli’s deputy mayor. Given that the deputy mayor and one of the councillors work with the Infrastructure Ministry, and another councillor heads an Infrastructure Malta unit, we feel that the councillors in question should have recused themselves from the vote, considering the potential bias and conflict of interest. Several residents have also voiced their concerns that this road project may be a prelude for further development on ODZ land – their concerns being supported by the fact that the road leads to nowhere. This follows a well-worn pattern of infrastructural projects designed to accommodate the interests of developers and the construction industry, such as the recent roundabout in Burmarrad, as well as the roadworks in Fomm ir-Riħ, leading to the Malta Developers’ Association head Sandro Chetchuti’s property. 

All government projects should thoroughly consider the needs of local communities and the environment, as well as proceed according to standard procedures and regulations. No credible reason for building the road has been provided and regular procedures have not been adhered to, raising concerns of abuse of power. We, therefore, stand strongly in objection to these roadworks in Dingli and support Moviment Graffiti’s actions in objection to it. The major concerns surrounding the project have not been adequately addressed by Infrastructure Malta and we feel that a proper dialogue should be established between the interested parties: residents, activists and Infrastructure Malta. Dialogue and transparency are a fundamental part of the democratic process and the authorities are duty-bound to uphold this commitment.

Check out XR’s previous article here!

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