There is no Planet B or Malta B

In his excellent book There is No Planet B, ecologist Mike Berners-Lee reminds us of that existential truth. His central argument is straightforward and accurate – our Earth is no longer robust or resilient enough to accommodate or absorb our demands and activities.

Strikingly similar to the situation here on our tiny island, which likewise cannot sustain the ongoing and ever-expanding activities of so many of its inhabitants, its tycoons and its politicians. 

Malta, just like our planet, is increasingly displaying all the symptoms of sclerotic overdevelopment. Now even the denials of this ring hollow. 

Times of Malta readers require no briefing as to the many dimensions of this chronic condition. They continue to be catalogued, analysed and, above all, experienced in our daily lives. 

So too the situation on our planet – a planet “on the brink” as described in the 2025 State of the Climate Report.

Only the wilfully ignorant or purposely devious continue to argue otherwise.  While few of us are fully conversant with all the details and technicalities of the condition, we are nonetheless all too familiar with its trend and its obvious consequences.

Negative record-breaking is now the dominant theme embedded in this condition.  Records in surface temperatures and heatwaves, in ecological overshoot; record highs in fossil fuel use and in levels of carbon dioxide emissions. Records in tree cover, biodiversity, species and water quality losses alongside record ocean temperatures. 

Records also in Greenland and Antarctic ice mass loss and in climate-related disasters such as fires and flooding.  And then, there are higher-order challenges such as the Amazon’s flying rivers and the Earth’s tipping points. 

These are but some of the headlines of a planet in very serious difficulty - a planet on the brink. 

Sad to say, none of this was unknown or inevitable.  Even now, as in Malta, there is so much that can and should be done, but our default position is to shrug our shoulders, blame someone else and opt for yet more of the same. 

As if by magic someone else will “carry the can”.

Just as there is no Planet B, there is no Malta B despite our “you can have it all” election mass hysteria.  Despite the opportunity to live better than ever, we consistently decline that option, opting instead for unsustainable overconsumption.

As in Malta, there is plenty of wriggle room left but only if we begin to understand and tackle the challenges with a modicum of serious intent. This in turn requires a very significant culture change, a huge investment in public education and a recognition that at some stage, truth and truth-telling must enter the equation.

And here we have a problem of immense proportions. 

Internationally and domestically, our dominant politicians and business leaders continue to extol the virtues of unrestrained economic growthism and to ignore or simply lie about its consequences.  And a majority of us continue (for a variety of reasons) to collude in this.

Some examples from recent days. 

Ignoring all scientific and real-world evidence, the US (the largest emitter) joined with Saudi Arabia, Russia, Israel (accused of ecocide in Lebanon and Gaza), Iran (experiencing environmental breakdown), Yemen, Liberia and Belarus in opposing a Vanuatu-initiated UN resolution on states' obligations to address climate change.  For them, business as usual is the model for Planet A. 

Without as much as a sideways glance at the planet, its environment or human well-being, the maladministration of the Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu regimes continues to promote and pursue a “war is good” agenda despite its horrific human and environmental consequences.

Much like many international corporations (especially fossil fuel companies) now implementing rollbacks on their previous sustainability commitments.

As might be expected of an island nation, Malta supported that UN resolution, with Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg arguing that climate action is fundamentally an issue of justice, international solidarity and respect for international law, 

Yet predictably not a whiff of such concern or commitment to such values was apparent in his party’s approach to the recent election.  The PL and the PN continue to try to outdo each other (and Malta) on the endless growth political sweepstakes. 

The urgent necessity for truth especially as regards the future of our planet, its diverse species (including our own) and of our own tiny island is increasing exponentially.  Our recent election, the madness of movements such as MAGA (and its copycats internationally) highlights another urgent necessity.

That of promoting critical public consciousness and judgement. 

Recognising there is no Planet B, let alone a Malta B is now assuming the status of a critical survival skill, most especially for our children and grandchildren.