The Euro barometer 2019 climate change survey found that 93 per cent of EU citizens see climate change as a “serious problem”. Respondents from Malta who expressed serious concern about climate change were significantly above the EU average. Almost nine in 10 respondents from Malta state that they have taken personal action to fight climate change and they support the aim of a climate-neutral EU by 2050.
This serious concern is more than justified. The world is experiencing rising, record temperatures and extreme weather events. Seventeen of the 18 warmest years on record occurred in the 21st century. The message from the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) cannot be clearer. If not managed well, the impact of climate change will significantly compromise global human health and safety, development, economic growth and biodiversity. Migration flows will increase caused by a downward global spiral of social fragility and conflict.
Against this backdrop, European citizens are calling for decisive action on climate change. In reply the EU pledges to accelerate its multilateral and domestic actions and take the lead to become the world’s first climate neutral continent.
Commission President-elect, Ursula Von der Leyen, proposes a European Green Deal in the first 100 days of her office. This will include the first European Climate Law to entrench the 2050 climate-neutral target into law. A large majority of the EU’s member states, including Malta, have already endorsed the objective of climate neutrality by 2050.
The EU is already on track to meet the goals set in the Paris Agreement. These goals were agreed by 187 countries in 2015, with the objective of keeping the increase in global climate temperature to below two per cent of its pre-industrial level and to pursue measures to limit the increase to 1.5 per cent. The EU is the only large economy in the world that has fully translated into legislation the steps that are needed to fulfil its Paris Agreement pledges, and is already well on course to reach the 2030 target of 40 per cent emissions reduction.
However, President-elect Von der Leyen strongly believes that the EU must be more ambitious and can achieve an emissions reduction of at least 50 per cent by 2030; indeed she will aim to increase the Union’s target by 55 per cent in a responsible way.
To achieve further emission reductions the new Commission will propose extending the Emissions Trading System (ETS) to cover the maritime sector. It also intends to reduce the free allowances allocated to airlines, and to extend this further to cover traffic and construction. To complement these efforts and to ensure a level playing field, the Commission proposes to introduce a Carbon Border Tax and to review the Energy Taxation Directive.
The European Green Deal provides the EU with a real opportunity to modernise and also become a global leader in a green economy. This will stimulate innovation, sustain competitiveness and create jobs.
The green transition depends on substantial mobilisation of private and public investments in cutting-edge research and innovation. To assist member states in this effort the Commission President-elect plans to transform parts of the European Investment Bank into a European Climate Bank to provide climate finance. In addition, there will be a sustainable Europe investment plan to support €1 trillion of investments over the next 10 years covering every town and village of the EU.
The success of the green transition also depends on an effective circular economy. The European Green Deal includes a new circular economy action plan that will focus on resource use, especially in resource-intensive and high-impact industries such as textiles and construction. In particular, the action plan will target the issue of single-use plastic and micro-plastics.
A recent assessment by the European Environment Agency concludes that climate change is already affecting agricultural production in Europe, especially in the south. Climate impacts have led to poorer harvests and higher production costs, affecting prices, quantity and quality of farm products. Moreover, the agricultural sector is itself a main cause of climate change. Agriculture accounts for around 10 per cent of all greenhouse gases in the EU.
As part of the European Green Deal the Commission President-elect promises a new farm-to-fork strategy, which will support farmers to lower greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants while guaranteeing nutritious, affordable and safe food.
Complementary to the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy is the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. The aim of the strategy is to slow, if not halt, biodiversity loss by protecting our seas and oceans, and curtailing deforestation and land degradation.
We are fully committed to support the efforts of the EU and of the UN for the benefit of current and future generations
Another important objective of the European Green Deal is to protect citizens’ health from environmental degradation and pollution by addressing air and water quality, hazardous chemicals, industrial emissions and pesticides.
The implementation of the European Green Deal entails considerable adaptations that will incur costs and challenges. That is why it is important to accompany the green transition with measures to support those member states who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and who need more support to modernise and adapt to new technologies.
Both the EU Strategic Agenda 2019-2021 and the political guidelines of the new Commission underline that the in-depth transformation of our economy and society to achieve climate neutrality must be conducted in a way that takes account of specific national circumstances and must be socially just.
The concept of a just transition for all evolves from the reality that not all start from the same point when it comes to implementing the adaptations to climate change. Some member states, regions, communities and individuals need more support than others. With this in view, the European Green Deal pays close attention to social issues and is to be supported by a new Just Transition Fund to ensure that nobody is left behind.
Moreover, cohesion funds will play a crucial role in supporting the just transition. Cohesion funds are intended to support disadvantaged member states and assist them to eliminate, infrastructural, economic, education and employment inequalities.
President-elect Von der Leyen stated that she wants the European Green Deal to become Europe’s hallmark, and she structured her Commission to ensure that the EU will deliver on its pledges. Executive vice president Frans Timmermans will manage climate action policy and will coordinate the work of various other commissioners whose remit has a climate change dimension, such as those for health, agriculture, transport, energy and environment and oceans.
The Maltese government wants to be at the forefront in the adaptation to climate change and to be fully integrated in and to benefit from the European Green Deal.
The government promised to introduce by next year a national strategy for carbon neutrality in line with the EU’s target of 2050, and is already taking action to reduce Malta’s greenhouse gas emissions, to minimise pollution and to recycle waste.
The 2020 Budget contains more than 30 measures that are related to climate and to the circular economy. These include: more investment in refuse management and treatment, support for users of electric cars, the introduction of a beverage container refund scheme, the elimination of single-use plastic products, various afforestation and environmental embellishment projects, measures to improve public cleaning services, measures to reduce the impact of construction on air quality and measures for cleaner energy.
Malta has also prepared its Draft National Energy and Climate Plan for 2021-2030, which sets out its national targets and contributions in line with the Union’s objectives and targets for 2030.
All this is a clear signal by the current Labour administration that it is determined, through tangible measures and actions, to respond to the urgent need to tackle climate change. In so doing, we are likewise fully committed to support the efforts of the EU and of the UN for the benefit of current and future generations.
Edward Zammit Lewis is Minister for European Affairs and Equality.