Malta to issue comprehensive climate change strategy

Malta will issue a comprehensive climate change strategy covering response and adaptation measures for all sectors, the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment, George Pullicino told The Sunday Times in an exclusive interview.

Speaking on his return from the 11th Conference of the Contracting Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which ended in Montreal a week ago, the minister explained that an ad hoc inter-ministerial group is developing detailed proposals. Its work is based on a draft climate change programme derived from two studies covering technology needs assessment for greenhouse gas emission reduction and adaptation to climate change. These studies followed proposals made in Malta's First National Communication submitted to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in April 2004.

"The final formulation of a national climate change strategy will however require wider consultation involving all stakeholders," he emphasised. Meanwhile Malta has fulfilled its EU obligations by adopting a National Allocation Plan on GHG emissions, setting national emission ceilings and issuing regulations for participating in inter-EU emissions trading with other EU states.

Moreover, although unlike other EU member states Malta and Cyprus are not obliged to reduce emissions under the UNFCCC's 1997 Kyoto Protocol, MEPA is currently analysing options for Malta's future UNFCCC status and its position on EU emission reductions for post-2012, on which discussions start next year. These include a first related meeting in January 2006 between new member states and accession candidate countries.

"Maltese agriculture will be given priority under the forthcoming strategy with respect to national adaptation measures, being one of the most vulnerable sectors due to the forecast decrease in rainfall and increased incidence of freak weather events, flooding etc. Other measures will help minimise GHG emissions from agriculture," he added. "My ministry's 34U afforestation programme and MEPA's ongoing initiative on the conservation and management of natural ecosystems will also serve to enhance 'sinks' for absorbing some greenhouse gases.

"In addition, the Malta Resources Authority is currently drafting a water resource management policy which will take account of climate change impacts on the nation's already overstrained groundwater supplies."

There is also the possibility of foreign funding for climate change related projects in Malta. Under the UNFCCC's Kyoto Protocol, Malta is eligible to host Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects, whereby the 39 developed countries committed to reducing emissions can earn 'credits' by investing in GHG-reducing activities in remaining Protocol countries. "A number of proposals for such projects have been put forward," the minister revealed.

"In addition, in Montreal I also pledged a Malta contribution to the CDM funds." In his speech during the ministerial segment of the conference, Mr Pullicino told delegates from 189 nations that, as CHOGM host, Malta conveyed CHOGM's call for the Montreal conference to spur international action. "As the originator of the UN's climate change agenda, Malta has a special stake in the far-sighted enterprise that has brought us to Montreal. Action to combat climate change is not just for future generations. It is for us, here and now."

Since the Kyoto Protocol and its mechanisms are unable to deliver on the UNFCCC's central objective to stabilise climate change at a safe level for the world environment, Mr Pullicino said that "Malta shares the widespread hope that the Montreal conference will launch an open-minded exploration of complementary ways forward - through a robust process engaging all parties in considering options for fair and effective action towards an objective that has already been accepted by all."

The minister subsequently welcomed the hard-fought final conference compromise on future talks and negotiations as a "positive outcome despite the defensiveness of many key actors, especially the US (resulting in) forward movement which must eventually lead, in a few years' time, to a full-scale negotiation involving all the major developed and developing economies."

Mr Pullicino's upbeat evaluation is shared by Malta's head of delegation to the Montreal talks, Michael Zammit Cutajar, Ambassador for Environmental Affairs and former executive secretary of the UNFCCC. However, he warned that the extent of post-2012 future emission cuts by EU and Japan, let alone action by major developing countries such as Brazil, China and India - not obliged to limit emissions under the Kyoto Protocol - depended on whether the United States would shift its present opposition to emission cuts, or refusal to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

"Growing action to limit emissions by some of the major US states and cities, as well as recent media comments and Senate resolutions certainly point to a growing shift in US public opinion," he said, "but it seems unlikely that any major policy change will occur under the Bush Presidency ending in January 2009."