It was more than just a happy coincidence that the same person that I have just appointed to chair the Environment and Resources Authority had, many years ago, commented that within Mepa as we have come to know it over the years the only occasion when the environment came before planning in importance and priority order was when the name of the authority itself had been first coined: the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.

Throughout the years, the environment arm – a mere directorate within Mepa itself – was often referred to as the Cinderella within the authority, with its consultative status relegated to near ineffectiveness.

With the eNGOs and the Opposition having nominated their representative within the set time frames, I am confident and proud that all the members of the new authority have all the necessary qualities to prove to be the best champions of the environment while ensuring that this autonomous authority will carry out its regulatory role to the best of its members’ ability.

The track record, knowledge and experience of all members should leave them very well placed to address all environmental aspects including those from an environmental health and social policy dimension.

I stand by what I had said in Parliament both during the second reading of the relevant Bills as well as during the committee stage that the success or failure of this demerger will now depend on the implementation process of the new legislation in place.

As an authority, not only will it be tasked with the formulation and implementation of policies relating to the protection and management of the environment and the sustainable management of natural resources but it will have the right to carry out studies, research and/or investigation on any matters relating to the environment while also providing information and issue guidelines to the public and to commercial and other entities on matters relating to the environment.

The success or failure of this demerger will depend on the implementation process of the new legislation in place

I look forward to their effective monitoring of the quality of the environment and the establishment of the necessary methodologies as well as the maintenance and dissemination of information related to this pivotal sector.

As Labour ends its third year in office, it has taken the first major step to bring to fruition an election manifesto pledge of setting up a fully-fledged environment and resources authority that should lend added gravitas, weight and sense of purpose to the environment. This in a manner that should leave us as a country better placed to meet the challenges ahead as well as our local, regional, EU and multilateral international obligations.

Either alone or in collaboration with others, it will provide education, training and public awareness campaigns relating to environmental protection and the sustainable management ofthe environment and ournatural resources.

Apart from administering the environment fund in pursuance of its functions under this law, the authority shall make reference to European best practices and do its utmost to emulate them.

I stand by my call of past months for members of civil society to watch both authorities like a hawk to ensure they are fulfilling their remit as they should.

As Minister for the Environment, now that I will be assuming political responsibility for the environmental arm of what used to be Mepa, I am committed even more than ever to being sensitive and receptive to all the constructive criticism and suggestions for stronger environment protection that may come our way without interfering in the day-to-day operations of the authority itself.

With the necessary will, which I am sure will not be lacking among the members of the new authority, new practical ways can surely be found to further guarantee that the Mepa split is a major step forward and not backwards.

It will thus be able to reflect the true spirit and substance of the government’s election manifesto pledge in favour of a stronger environment.

I have full confidence that all the members of the new authority will ensure it will operate with transparency, accountability and access to public scrutiny.

In the coming days, the new authority will be issuing a public call for a chief executive officer and beef up its human resources as needed.

The main priority for the ERA now should be that the capacity-building process should be speeded up while ensuring that management posts are filled at the earliest so it will be well geared to function fully. With further collaboration between both sides, all logistical issues should be resolved very shortly.

We are confident that, in the near term, the authority will have its own director for the environment who will be answerable to the new board of directors.

A word of thanks to the employees themselves who have weathered the storm over the years and are now optimistically looking forward to a new sense of stability as well as to a board and a top management team that catalyses their feedback into effective decision-making for a real Environment and Resources Authority.

I strongly support all those who feel that the common good must always come first and I feel very confident that the new authority’s board is well placed to ensure that this comes about in real and effective terms.

While certain legal notices that will be taken on board imminently will empower ERA to assume certain functions, to function fully and effectively, it will still need to find the ways and the means to react to decisions not only limited to planning, which are not sensitive to the environment, but it must be and am sure it will be committed to sound its opinion on all environmentally-sensitive issues.

Someone recently remarked that if we get this wrong, we will get it wrong for a very long time. As a born optimist, I am inclined to say that all of us, including the members of the authority itself, are strongly and personally committed to ensure that we get it right from the very start.

A green politician sometime back claimed that any authority’s standing depends on the integrity of the members chosen to serve on its board. That is something I am strongly confident of.

Let us look ahead to better days for true and effective protection of the environment through structures that did not even exist until recently.

Leo Brincat is Minister for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change.

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