Throughout summer of 2006, the authorities justified the Rationalisation scheme to use more countryside for construction purposes by claiming that this would seal shut the development zones and prevent further building Out of Development Zone (ODZ).  Before and after this year’s general elections, the electorate continued to be promised more environmental awareness and respect, with emphasis on protection of the countryside.  Six months down the road and this promise is far from materialising. Over the last six months alone, MEPA approved not less than 318 permits to build structures in the countryside or ODZ, many of which are to be...

Friends of the Earth Malta donated €150 worth of books to the Birkirkara Local Council. These books will now form part of the resources found at the Birkirkara Civic Centre library. The books deal with local and international environmental themes and aim to increase the environmental awareness of the public. During the presentation of the books, Friends of the Earth representatives thanked the Mayor for hosting the Friends of the Earth office at the Civic Centre. They augured that future cooperation will lead to further environmental benefits both to Birkirkara and Malta.

During the third week of September, many EU countries celebrated the European Mobility week. During this week, people are encouraged to be œin town without my car as the initiatives motto says. Since 2002 this event has been growing from strength to strength and this year, with no less then 2000 towns and cities across Europe organising various events and initiatives. The European Mobility Award is one award Malta will definitely not be rewarded. This award is given to 10 towns and cities that come up with the most original event during this week. Unfortunately a few Car Free Day...

Friends of the Earth Malta is glad to note that the labour spokesperson for the environment, Mr. Leo Brincat is taking  political action on climate change, in particular the proposal to pass a Private Members’ Bill at Parliament level. We believe that this is the way forward to make sure that the current, and subsequent, governments are committed to act on the pressing issue of climate change. Friends of the Earth has been campaigning on the issue of climate change for the past few years and also have been working on an educational campaign with the aim to reduce emissions,...

A record 1,050 objections have been sent to MEPA to protest over plans by St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation to extend its museum, the NGOs Flimkien Ghall Ambjent Ahjar and Friends of the Earth said today. The foundation is proposing to create an underground museum chambers by excavating St John’s Street. Alternatively, it has suggested building structures within St John’s graveyard along Merchants’ Street. “We maintain that we cannot accept that a sizeable portion of our EU budget be spent on a project which will lead to exploitation and possibly damage Malta’s most precious national monument, when other feasible and simpler...

Friends of the Earth Malta is concerned over the way the transport issue has developed recently. The NGO deplores the violence and illegalities which occurred during the protests. The NGO urges all political parties to unite on environmental issues such as this one since it is of national concern and not partisan. Friends of the Earth Malta believes that the government must once and for all tackle our national transport problems which have been left to fester for the past decades. It has now been six years since two local doctors (Balzan and Bonnici) published their research showing that the...

Friends of the Earth Malta  together with the environmental NGOs Birdlife Malta, Gaia Foundation, Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Light Pollution Awareness Group, NatureTrust (Malta) and Ramblers Association of Malta, today strongly criticized the MEPA decision to give the green light to Mistra mega-project and questioned the reason why this and similar permits are being rushed through when  MEPA reform is  imminent. The NGOs are adamant that it is not possible to justify a project to create 868 new apartments in an area that has 9,000 empty properties. MEPA and ADT are well aware that both the Halcrow Report and the...