Environment agenda for 2016

The government’s agenda for 2016 goes way beyond its two major milestones: the imminent setting up of the Environment and Resources Authority and the launching of three major EU-funded projects in the waste sector totalling €64 million.

This agenda reflects the pathways charted in the pre-Budget document. It stands in sharp contrast with pre-budget documents under the former administration that often talked green but ended up translating themselves into nothing but brown initiatives.

The financial estimates speak for themselves: a substantial budgetary allocation for the new environmental authority; an additional €3m allocation for Wasteserv and the waste management strategy; a 300 per cent increase for the management of protected areas; €400,000 in eco contribution refunds; a three-fold increase for climate change initiatives apart from our international climate finance obligations; a 10-fold increase of the modest earlier allocation for sustainable development; a five-fold increase for the waste management plan; six new localities to benefit from the increased allocation for the greening of urban areas; the application of the polluter pays principle by aiming to collect €1m from the caging of blue fin tuna; the establishment of a fund for voluntary organisations;

A new allocation for the Climate Action Board; €80,000 to set into motion the legislative process leading towards noise pollution legislation; €500,000 for the pilot organic third bag project; €9m to address the long-festering outstanding Mepa debts; the first ever allocation of €400,000 for our farm wastestrategy; and the setting up of the first-ever Directorate for Sustainable Development.

This budget is intended to show that there is no inherent contradiction in being business-friendly and having an environmental conscience.With climate action now coming into play it is becoming increasingly evident that there is one umbilical cord between the environment, economy, sustainable development, and climate issues.

Capacity building will be at the forefront of our efforts not only because of the tall order ahead but also due to the daunting EU Presidency challenges that we shall be addressing in the near future. We cannot afford to lag behind when there are so many national, regional, EU and international obligations to live up to and address. Our presidency of the Mediterranean Commission for Sustainable Development should do us proud.

The Mepa demerger will stand to be judged not merely in the committee stage of the legislative process, but by the manner in which the radical changes envisaged are implemented on a day-to-day basis. While the work of the steering committee and the implementation teams paving the way for this change process deserves praise, we need to ensure that all those areas that over the years lost some highly capable and qualified people are given the human resources they deserve. This refers primarily to noise pollution, air quality issues, biodiversity and the waste sectors where enforcement and regulation is of the essence.

I fully sympathise with all those who claim that all these budgetary measures must be seen against the backdrop of the imminent Mepa demerger changes. Mainstreaming was highlighted by all speakers during the recent Parliamentary debate. I could not but agree more. This applies to the environmental sector, to sustainable development and to climate issues too. There are some interesting challenges in the waste sector:

The long overdue reform of civic amenity sites and whether to privatise or not; the need to address the dysfunctional bring-in sites ever since their devolution to local councils; a reform of the commercial waste system;

The launch of our rolling national waste management education campaign; and studies underway exploring waste to energy thermal treatment and/or export of waste to reduce our landfill dependence.

Batterina as a system is due to be farmed out shortly to the private sector in line with our EU obligations, where we had been in breach for years.

The announcement of a request for proposals linked to the disposal of plastic bottles and aluminium cans littering should be a big boost for the environment, as evidenced by the positive response by eNGOs such as Friends of the Earth.

In the coming months we shall be probing whether we should go for full-blown legislation on food waste to address this burgeoning problem. It would be irresponsible to plunge headlong and replicate something done elsewhere without having carried out country-specific research and studies to see if it makes sense or is warranted locally.

In whatever reform we introduce we should stick to the WEEE reform model where all stakeholders were engaged from the very beginning and will continue to do so even as the reform continues to unfold and be implemented.

A word of thanks to the non-political and purely academic Scientific Advisory Council for the Environment who have contributed very positively behind the scenes throughout the 10 meetings held so far, by offering my office wise advice and serious recommendations.

Next year should indeed prove to be a positive year for our areas of responsibility so long as the mainstreaming effort is maintained and retains the much desired momentum.

Leo Brincat is the Minister for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change.