Parliament started debating a bill regulating the establishment of the Climate Action Authority on Tuesday.

The soon-to-be established Climate Action Authority will focus on taking action on climate change, mitigating its effects and to help adapting to the changing world climate.

Environment Minister Miriam Dalli said that the Bill deals with an international priority for this generation and the ones to come… climate change. She said that climate change is the result of the unbalance caused by humankind over the years.

Climate change is resulting in more extreme weather, she said, mentioning more heat waves as an example. “It is only when we understand how this global phenomenon is changing the climate around us that we can appreciate the work we need to do.”

She also spoke about adapting communities to the consequences of climate change that is already having effects, and spoke of the need to change the way we live and how the economy works, highlighting the green transition.

The Act will establish an Authority focused on climate action, she said, which will be responsible for coordinating strategies to address climate change at a national level.

“It will bring together experts, stakeholders and policy makers to help and contribute to the creation of the road ahead when it comes to climate action.”

The authority will also serve as a platform for the involvement and participation of the public, she said.

The idea is to actively involve citizens, civil society and the private sector in the process of decision making, she said. “Through workshops, public consultations, campaigns etc, the authority will give the people the tools to take action.”

The Authority will also regulate the aims for decarbonisation and the aims to adapt and prepare the country for climate change, she said.

Malta is part of the Paris agreement, she said. Dalli said that every country must adapt to climate change, and every five years countries must submit ambitious plans until the world reaches climate neutrality. Malta will continue working to achieve aims that address climate change, she said.

She also spoke about the need to invest to have more alternative energy sources. “This government’s vision is decarbonisation and the Green transition,” she said, adding that it is a main pillar of the economy.

Dalli said that when speaking about energy provision, she is not only referring to electricity, but also energy used in transport. “Energy is also a main source in production of food and water, and also in the manufacturing of items we use,” she said.

Dalli went on to list many projects that the government has worked on and is working on in the country.

Source: Independent
https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2024-02-06/local-news/Climate-Action-Authority-will-bring-together-experts-stakeholders-and-policy-makers-minister-6736258390