Malta set to declare climate emergency

Malta is set to declare a climate emergency following the approval of government amendments to an opposition motion in parliament calling for the action.
A final vote is set to be taken on Tuesday after the government voted against the motion as presented by the Opposition.
Environment Minister Jose Herrera said the motion was a positive one and the government wanted to reaffirm its commitment towards a holistic policy which would include an eventual stop to the importation of vehicles using polluting fuel.
However, he said a climate emergency had already been indirectly acknowledged in legislation on climate change unanimously approved in 2015.

The legislation had set up a board to see to action that was needed regarding climate change and Malta was also one of the few countries which had a climate change ambassador, he said.
Dr Herrera said the government will organise a conference on climate change in mid-2020 and will continue to implement several measures to mitigate the effect on the climate. It would also evaluate the possibility for schools and government buildings to be carbon neutral by 2030 and set up programme for schemes and initiatives addressing the climate...