Tackling the climate crisis together

Threats to humankind can come in many shapes and forms. Up until the COVID-19 pandemic became a reality for all of us, most individuals never thought there was something that could make all societies come to a sudden halt. But this did happen and we are still facing its repercussions to this day. COVID-19 was a crisis which came upon us suddenly but there is a crisis which is even more deadly that we have been aware about for many years but we have failed to tackle.

Climate change and the climate crisis are concepts that have been with us for many years. In the 1980s, the terms global warming and climate change were already used but we failed to act.

This is no longer a vague concept but a situation with real life consequences. Anyone who has watched the news lately is very aware of the wildfires in Greece, Turkey and California. Even with over 20 countries sending aid to Greece, the fires are still uncontrollable.

Fires in Greece have threatened ancient sites, destroyed forests, razed homes and even forced the closure of sites like the Acropolis at the peak of the country’s tourist season. In Athens, the heat, combined with smoke-laden skies and raining ash,  have kept people indoors for days. These fires have emerged from the worst heatwave Greece has experienced in more than 30 years.

Temperatures have reached 45 degrees Celsius across Greece for the last few days. These wildfires are expected to become more frequent. The impacts of climate change are no longer subtle and people are now understanding how frequent such events are happening. The truth is that, as it stands, we only expect things to get worse.

Closer to home, the recent heatwaves we experienced is making most of us wish it was winter. The heatwaves that have done so much damage in Greece have moved to Italy and Spain and have reached us too. This heatwave is part of a phenomenon that experts are calling the heat dome, a term used when a large area of high pressure is parked over a large portion of the continent and stays there for days or even weeks.

Warming across the Mediterranean region is expected to be about 20 per cent higher than global averages in the decades to come as the region is hit with devastating heatwaves, water shortages and a loss of biodiversity as well as risks to food production.

This situation is a result of leaders looking the other way for decades but this is no longer an option. The EU Green Deal is an important step forward, so we can start addressing our own shortcomings. There is the clear need for an international agreement so everyone is on a level playing field. Every EU member state should do its part to combat climate change but each country’s reality must also be considered.

This is a situation which affects us all and we must look at it as such. All EU governments must now back their words with concrete action so we can improve the situation which the forecasts indicate is very dire. The responsibility also falls on us all to play our part. Small changes and actions may seem insignificant but together we can all make a positive difference for ourselves and future generations.

Alex Agius Saliba – Labour MEP, Brussels

A birthday is a right not an elite privilege

I refer to the article entitled ‘I was a walking grave: women describe impact of Malta’s abortion ban’ (August 8).

The UK legalised abortion for extreme cases in 1967 and then proceeded to abort over nine million babies in the subsequent decades. Almost one in four (24 per cent) pregnancies in England and Wales now ends in abortion, with one abortion happening every three minutes. Had Malta legalised abortion in the same year and proceeded at the same rate we would have aborted 58,786 babies by now.

We all know people who were unexpected by their families, or who have disabilities, or who are not the sex their parents were hoping for (all legal reasons for abortions in the UK) and it could have been argued that it would be better had they not been born. However, this does not give them any less right to live.

And, in my own experience, unexpected babies have always brought happiness, people with disabilities are always a gift and babies who do not live very long have all brought joy, even if coupled with suffering, to those who love them. 

Or, to use more objective information: a University of California 2021 study shows that 96 per cent of women who refused abortions were glad that they had the baby in the end. A 2018 study by academics from York College of Pennsylvania, the Gundersen Medical Foundation and the University of Rochester Medical Centre shows that 97.5 per cent of women whose babies had fatal foetal anomalies said they had “no regrets” in keeping their babies. 

And a 2015 study by academics from Duke University demonstrates that women who keep their babies, even in difficult circumstances, have better mental health then those who abort them.

So, it is only reasonable that we, in Malta, should work to ensure that mothers keep their babies as this protects all involved.

In the article, Emily Galea and Laura Paris highlight that there are many tough cases relating to unborn babies and their mothers but we all know that tough cases don’t make good laws.  Principles make good laws.

Let us be proud that Malta stands for every human being’s right to life from their very earliest moment and then work to help and protect all mothers and babies, especially those experiencing tough situations.

If Emily and Laura want to debate abortion, they are welcome to do so but I suggest they base their reasoning on scientific fact and international law.

Fact one: unborn babies are human beings because the offspring of two human beings is a human being. Fact two: the right to life is codified in article 3 of the International Declaration of Human Rights and has been a basic principle of civilisation since the beginning of time. 

The people of Malta can be proud that our country is one of those that fully recognises the humanity of unborn babies and their human rights and works to protect both mother and baby.

In Malta, a birthday is a right not an elite privilege. Let’s keep it that way.

Anton De Piro – Valletta

Foster families and their children

I refer to the article ‘The heartbreak of fostering’ by Patricia Graham (August 8).

The Directorate for Alternative Care within the Foundation for Social Welfare Services would like to point out two important guiding principles which direct its work with children in alternative care:

Every decision is taken in the best interest of the child. It is our value that children should be given a permanent family at the first opportunity when a match takes place. Giving a family to a child by virtue of an adoption process is a blessing for those children in care.

Fostering should always be viewed as a temporary respite placement unless permanency is achieved. Fostering can turn into a permanent placement after a return to the biological family is not deemed to be in the child’s best interest and if no freeing up for adoption process is possible. Foster carers are informed upfront about the plan of each child and, if circumstances change, a discussion is held with the foster carers.

Finally, the Directorate for Alternative Care provides both therapy and counselling as well as social work support to foster families and their children. Such circumstances are always an emotional journey and no amount of training could fully prepare you for the emotions experienced.

Yet, families state that the satisfaction achieved in helping to raise a child, even if for a limited period of time, outweighs any heartache experienced. As a fostered child so aptly put it, it is better to feel loved for a while than not being loved at all.

Remenda Grech – director, Directorate for Alternative Care (Children and Youths), Santa Venera.

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