Michelle Piccinino has been appointed as the new director for the environment within the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) following a call for applications.

The authority, which is the national regulator on the environment, formally assumed its duties today.

Ms Piccinino graduated as an architect and civil engineer from the University of Malta in June 1995.

She has since held several senior positions within the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, including to being a member of advisory bodies and coordinating large scale and projects of national interest.

Her multidisciplinary approach has enabled her to adapt to the various cross-cutting-roles and to effectively and constantly involve the different stakeholders in the process.

She has represented the Malta Environment and Planning Authority on various boards and committees and had a leading role in negotiations at high-level bi-lateral meetings.

During the past months, Ms Piccinino has been involved in the in the demerger process of Mepa and the eventual setup of the Environment and Resources Authority, including the legislative and the administrative setup of the new authority.

She is married to Ivan and mother to Laura and Luca Aidan.

The authority said in a statement it shall be maintaining consultation with all stakeholders to promote and instill sound environmental management.

Its main goals are:

• To mainstream environmental targets and objectives across Government and society;

• To take the leading role in advising Government on environmental policy-making at the national level, as well as in the context of international environmental negotiations;

• To develop evidence-based policy; backed by a robust data gathering structure; and

• To draw up plans, provide a licensing regime and monitor activities having an environmental impact, and to integrate environmental considerations within the development control process.