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!

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Written by Lara Bajada Young and Andrew Alexander Caruana

How are the EU’s efforts helping the Maltese Islands become greener and more sustainable?

Sustainable development refers to different societies making use of the resources they need without taking up the resources for future generations. Through this practice, people must learn how to leave things in a better state or as they found them. This important phrase refers to three pillars; the economy, the social and the environment working together in equal harmony to lead a greener and more sustainable life.

The European Union has given a lot of importance to this through its Directives, where they aim at solving a current environmental issue to better one’s health and lifestyle. These directives are a necessity as they help protect, conserve and restore natural habitats and species. Some other topics that have been tackled within these directives include: conducting assessments on air quality in order to detect and control the various pollutants found in the atmosphere, provide a cleaner water supply, ensure proper waste management and helping businesses move towards a more sustainable approach to the economy.

The European Union also provided its member states with a great initiative known as The European Green Deal’s Investment Plan. Climate change and environmental degradation are a huge threat to the Earth and in order to overcome this challenge, The European Commission has decided that it needs a new growth strategy to transition its Union into a more resource-efficient and competitive economy. Their main aim is to transition to a climate-neutral, green economy and to diminish net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050.

This investment plan is based on investing sustainably a minimum of €1 trillion over the next 10 years. Providing new incentives to redirect their public and private funding so that The EU would provide tools to facilitate sustainable funding at the top of their list to promote green budgeting and procurement. Lastly, The EU Commission will help support public plans and projects which are designed to be more sustainable.

Why haven’t the EU’s efforts to slow down climate change not worked as effectively yet?

In 2007 the European leaders created a climate and energy package to ensure that the European Union (EU) meets its climate and energy targets by 2020. The package sets three key targets: a 20% cut in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels, renewables must account for 20% of the EU energy and the energy efficiency needs to improve by 20 percent. The package is also a headline target for smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth.

Official data from the European Environmental Agency (EEA) showed that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions had already decreased beyond the 20% reduction target in 2014. The levels were 24% lower than they were in 1990. This prompted praise from some quarters but also criticism that the goals were not tough enough. Hans Bruyninckx, executive director of the EEA, said the shift was encouraging. However, climate campaigners argued that the Paris agreement could have been more demanding.

The success of the EU showed that the targets were not ambitious enough, particularly since some European Union countries will now overshoot their 2020 goal by at least 10%. Climate campaigners argued that the aim for a 40% cut by 2030 was far too lenient. Wendel Trio, director of Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, said the achievement proved the EU’s “climate policies were out of touch with reality”. He added that the findings were further proof that the Paris Climate Agreement, which academics said was “inadequate”, had not been stringent enough. “The findings demonstrate that the EU could easily increase its climate target for 2030 in order to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Unfortunately, the European leaders agreed that they need to raise their climate ambition above the existing target, but they did not endorse a proposal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% when compared to 1990 levels. Eastern EU countries that depend on coal for much of their energy needs were not enthusiastic about this proposal and as a result, it was not approved. The European Union will try to find a consensus in the next meeting in December since every member state needs to endorse the revised target. However, scientists have argued that unless drastic steps are taken right now that cut down greenhouse gas emissions, countries will miss both goals from the Paris Agreement (to keep the global warming increase below 2 degrees Celsius, and ideally no more than 1.5 degrees C).

The European Union must take action now. Some countries like Norway already generate 99% of their electricity from hydropower – a renewable source of energy and in Denmark on one particularly windy day the country produced 140% of its electricity needs and sold the excess off to Germany. These findings clearly show that the European Union could actually increase its 2030 targets and one can thus conclude that although the European Union is actually making advancements in slowing down climate change, its efforts could be much better.

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Above are only a few of the countless international headlines that my eyes have traversed across painfully these last few months. Painfully as evidently this is not news we have not encountered time and time again. Yet, as prominent as news regarding our changing climate is, people in power especially still refuse to see the real danger that rests behind the climate crisis, its urgency felt at different extremes around the world.  It is either that they do not wish to believe the science which clearly states that anthropogenic factors have accelerated climate change, or they do not wish to face the truth – that a future on this planet looks bleak and uncertain if we do not implement a green transition, fast.

Malta is not immune to climate change, or to political irresponsibility for that matter. As the crisis worsens – and it will – we have a lot to lose as a small island in the Mediterranean Sea and we do not have the luxury to believe otherwise. The climate crisis topic has been brought up many times in conversations I’ve had with different people and a large percentage of the time I receive a similar response: We cannot do anything, the government will do whatever it wishes to anyways.

This is exceedingly problematic. They have pushed forth their agenda, no matter the consequences that will or might arise, and we have sat idly by. We have recognised our politicians’ lack of willingness to act and have accepted it as it is, in turn feeding climate inaction. How do we expect our politicians to do better if we do not force them to?  Local emissions were slightly deducted during the ongoing pandemic due to the reduction of cars on the road. Some will say that this is a step forward, and yes, it is, but it does not mean that we have done our part in tackling climate change. A complete reduction in the use of carbon-emitting vehicles is merely one resolution amid a resolution pool.

The widening of roads to ‘reduce’ traffic, the Malta-Gozo tunnel which will supposedly make things easier, the Central Link project which has disrupted farmers’ livelihoods and saw the cruel chop of copious mature trees, the construction of apartments on ODZ land. These projects are doing anything but helping the public. They are trampling over natural carbon sinks, which are indispensable, and essentially placing money into the pockets of the power-hungry. We have heard word from our Prime Ministers regarding the introduction of electric cars and greener transport, word of the introduction of carbon-neutral strategies, word of greater investment in renewable energy, and so on and so forth. A climate emergency was even declared by parliament last year. Yet, we are yet to see any change being implemented. Talk is cheap, but action is priceless.

You may or may not have heard of Extinction Rebellion, a non-partisan global movement, present in over 72 countries including Malta, which is using non-violent acts of civil disobedience forcing governments to declare and act on the global climate emergency. With bold demands, such as achieving net-zero emissions by 2025, and several resilient values and principles that allow the movement to justly bring about systemic change, Extinction Rebellion has earned global attention – and rightfully so.

Following a brief pause at the beginning of the year due to COVID-19, Extinction Rebellion Malta introduced an August campaign in which members took to the steps of Castille in a series of sit-ins to bring awareness to the government’s lack of action. Respecting COVID-19 restrictions, the sit-ins provided a platform on which we could voice our priorities to the public, some of which include carbon neutrality, curtailing unsustainable development and endorsing urban greening, promoting green transport initiatives, and greater investment in renewable energy. These demands are only a few of the many, as the main aim remains to not only change one facet of but the entire system.

As Extinction Rebellion Malta, we have done our part in supporting the XR global movement, not only in bringing awareness to the global climate emergency but also to local climate inaction and unjust environmental degradation. There is very little to no time left and that is why our work as a movement is of great importance.  Tactics such as lobbying or voting – though of immense significance – have not brought about the necessary changes. We must believe in an active democracy. That is why Extinction Rebellion has stepped forth with a different and impactful approach, and we will not stop until significant change is brought about. 

The post An Open Letter to the Authorities about Climate Change | XR appeared first on The Third Eye.

Written by Tim Grech

Climate change is affecting us

Summers in Malta are becoming increasingly intense and increasingly unbearable. With more frequent heatwaves and higher temperatures, the effects of climate change are being especially at the heart of the Mediterranean. 

This is not just a perception, with international studies showing that after the Arctic, the Mediterranean basin is heating at the fastest rate globally. With a limited groundwater supply and equally limited tree cover and vegetation, Malta is not doing as much as it should be doing in curbing the effects of climate change on a national level. 

And people were noticing. Last summer saw an appetite for environmentalism in Malta from which Extinction Rebellion Malta was born. We are part of a global movement to make our voice heard on important issues that affect each one of us in Malta.

It isn’t controversial to say that Malta did not have the best environmental credentials in the world. Instead of mitigating the effects of climate change, the policy seemed to have been going in the opposite direction. 

Until today. 

Change is happening

Last week, the Maltese Parliament declared a climate emergency. Our country became one of the first nations to take this important step. This is a great victory for Extinction Rebellion Malta, and we would like to thank every single person and organisation who played a role in securing this result. 

Not only would we like to thank KSU and KNZ, but also every single person who has followed and engaged with XR Malta.

Does that mean the war is won? Not at all. 

There is still lots to be done. The climate emergency is the end of an attitude of complacency and apathy. 

It is also the beginning of an important dialogue that you are invited to be a part of. 

By passing this Bill, our politicians have sent a message that they are willing to speak with us, the stakeholders of the future. XR Malta has already reached out to Members from both sides of the House, and we are already setting up meetings with Members of Parliament.

Join the rebellion

This is a fantastic opportunity for anybody passionate about the environment to get involved in a proactive conversation with our decision-makers for the good of our country and the good of our planet. 

Everyone is welcome. As a strictly non-partisan movement, we are open to working with everyone in a space free of party politics Malta is known for. Climate has no colour, nor does science, especially when science is telling us that we need to act now. We believe that the climate is more important than any of that – we hope you do, too.

So, what can you do to help out within our cause? There are lots of individual choices that you can make in your day-to-day life to lessen your carbon footprint. However, the changes that matter the most need to come from the people with power. Now, this is within reach. 

Next Friday, XR Malta will be holding a #FridaysForFuture event at the University Quadrangle at 12 o’clock noon. If you want to be part of a movement for the planet, we’ll see you there.

Image Credit

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A number of youths gave speeches to inspire action on climate change upon arriving near the Parliament, amongst them KSU President Carla Galea and KNZ President Sean Ellul.

“The youth generation has a voice,” stated Galea, “we have realised that we have a problem which will be irreparable, if not now in a few years.” The awareness we are raising today must concern every citizen, not just the youth, she continued, and especially our leaders and representatives. Only 7.5% of energy consumed in Malta came from renewable sources in 2017, Galea said, “We have a long way to go to reach the aims of the EU.”

If we continue in this manner, future generations will be deprived of the key right to live freely without the shackles our negligence is imposing on them

Carla Galea, KSU President

In his speech, Ellul announced the national task force that KNZ launched yesterday. “As a generation we refuse to be condemned to a future where climate change wins,” he emphasised. The call for the task force went out yesterday to every citizen to join KNZ in the fight against climate change.

The task force will be divided into different subcommittees focusing on different environmental topics. Proposals for policies will then be created to bring to parliament and those in power. The call is open on KNZ’s Instagram and Facebook pages. “The time to talk was yesterday, the time to act is now.”

The speeches ended with a young child addressing the older generations:

Aren’t you noticing that you are ruining the world for kids like me? Aren’t you noticing that kids like me already want to leave Malta when they are older because of how you’ve left it?

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