Monday 16 September marked the start of European Mobility Week (EMW) – the European Commission’s yearly awareness-raising campaign on sustainable urban mobility. However, we observed complete radio silence from our government, when the urgency to promote sustainable mobility in Malta has never been greater.
Sustainable mobility
What is our vision for a better transport system in Malta?
Today, road transport contributes to one-third of the total greenhouse gas emissions in Malta. To stop fueling the climate crisis and reduce carbon emissions, as well as the impact of air pollution on public health, road safety concerns and diminishing public space for anyone outside a car, we need to move away from planning only for cars.
Exactly because Malta is small and space is limited, we need to invest in cleaner and leaner modes of transport. The car is the least space-efficient mode of transport of all! The average commute in Malta is only 5.5km, therefore we need to invest in direct, safe, comfortable, attractive and connected infrastructure for walking and cycling so that the choice to go on foot or by bicycle for short trips is easy and obvious.
Friends of the Earth Malta are pushing the government to recognise the need of more socially just transport infrastructure which is safe and pleasant for pedestrians and micromobility users. The public transport services, such as buses and ferries, should be reliable and serve the diverse needs of the public and not the financial whims of private investors. More urban space shall be dedicated to communities rather than to the stowing of private vehicles.
MICROMOBI project
In MICROMOBI project we aim to develop skills and raise awareness on the topic of micromobility, small human or electric powered mobility devices suitable for short urban trips. Increased uptake of micromobility is a key tool to reduce carbon emissions from transport, the main priority we are addressing through this project: to contribute to more environmentally friendly cities and fight against climate change.
The project combines training and skill-sharing activities that enable bottom-up and top-down change in the transition to micromobility: educating the users through micromobility and road safety training, repair cafes to teach skills and contribute to sustainability of materials, and training planners and professionals within organisations and entities to better plan for sustainable mobility, including micromobility, and contribute to improved road safety for vulnerable road users.
Bike About project
The Bike About project (04/2023 – 03/2024) was aimed at increasing the use of bicycles as part of our NGO work, promoting cycling and bicycle use amongst our volunteers, youth group and community, and teaching people the skill of cycling and bicycle repair.
By teaching people how to cycle and how to do so safely (for commuting to school or work) and by showcasing the use of an e-cargo bike to transport goods, we enabled and inspired more people to make the shift to cycling, for some or all of their trips. Cycling is a form of climate action! A reduction in private car use by shifting to cycling contributes to greenhouse gas emission reductions and improved quality of life in the locality and country.
In our commitment to supporting cyclists, we’ve created a bike repair kit available for public use for repairs or to borrow, at the FoEM Green Resource Centre. The kit includes:
– Pump, tube patches and various glues
– A helmet, high visibility vests and bicycle lights
– Multitool and tire levers
– Biodegradable degreaser, cleaner and lubricant
This service is available during office hours and when we have events at our Green Resource Centre in Floriana. Please send us a message via Facebook/Instagram before coming to ensure someone is in the office and able to provide you with the necessary tools.
Outside of our Green Resource Centre in Floriana you can find a secure parking space for your bike.
Climate publications
News
COP29: Opening Pandora’s Box for people and the planet
“The supposed ‘COP of climate finance’ has turned into the ‘COP of false solutions. The terrible deal on finance destroys the notion of historical responsibility of the rich big polluting countries and pushes private debt creating finance. Global North countries are no longer obligated to provide finance to the Global South as enshrined in the Paris Agreement. COP29 also put a final nail in the coffin, opening the door to the global carbon market and the disastrous impacts for communities and ecosystems. We have seen the impacts of these schemes: land grabs, Indigenous Peoples rights and human rights violations and more.”
How Azerbaijan’s Leadership Cast a Shadow Over COP29
“The supposed ‘COP of climate finance’ has turned into the ‘COP of false solutions. The terrible deal on finance destroys the notion of historical responsibility of the rich big polluting countries and pushes private debt creating finance. Global North countries are no longer obligated to provide finance to the Global South as enshrined in the Paris Agreement. COP29 also put a final nail in the coffin, opening the door to the global carbon market and the disastrous impacts for communities and ecosystems. We have seen the impacts of these schemes: land grabs, Indigenous Peoples rights and human rights violations and more.”
Why do people use micromobility?
Find out why Sergio moves around on rollerblades, Jonathan takes his kids to school by cargo bike, and Nazlican goes to work with an e-kick scooter. Let’s celebrate the multiple benefits of micromobility
What’s the Climate COP and why do we call for it to go Fossil Free?
Climate change is here, and its effects are already felt around the world. Over the past year, we have witnessed the hottest months on record. COP stands for the Conference of the Parties, which is the supreme decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
What is micromobility?
Meet Martina, Jonathan, Corinne and others to find out how they move around their city on their bike, on foot, wheelchair, scooter, roller skates and even a cargo bike!
Climate Emotions Support Group
Amidst news about heat waves, extreme weather events and climate chaos, it is easy to despair. However, there is nothing as powerful as collective action to show we are not alone and that solutions for a brighter future exist.
Friends of the Earth Malta is bringing together hopeful visions for Malta’s future in a zine ‘Imagining a Fossil Free Malta’ to share inspiration and calls to action
Looking back at our Urban Cycling Skills Training & Group Ride
As the Erasmus+ funded project comes to its concluding months, in September Friends of the Earth Malta participated in the final transnational meeting of Blooming Schools hosted by Station Europe in Bucharest. The project aims to increase awareness and biodiversity especially in secondary schools by empowering young people to take action for nature.
Micromobility: Part of the solution, not the pollution
Monday 16 September marked the start of European Mobility Week (EMW) – the European Commission’s yearly awareness-raising campaign on sustainable urban mobility. However, we observed complete radio silence from our government, when the urgency to promote sustainable mobility in Malta has never been greater.
What climate action? Malta’s alarming rise in greenhouse gas emissions
Malta is once again at the top of the list of a troubling trend: the fastest rise in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the European Union. According to Eurostat, Malta’s GHG emissions surged by 8.8% from the first quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. The EU carbon emissions reduction target is -55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. Malta’s target is already a minor contribution to that: -19% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. The recent news about Malta’s rising GHG emissions begs the question: how on earth does the government envision we reach that target in the coming 5 years?
Waiting List: Climate Emotions and Eco Anxiety Training
Amidst news about heat waves, extreme weather events and climate chaos, it is easy to despair. However, there is nothing as powerful as collective action to show we are not alone and that solutions for a brighter future exist.
Friends of the Earth Malta is bringing together hopeful visions for Malta’s future in a zine ‘Imagining a Fossil Free Malta’ to share inspiration and calls to action
People Power Up
The People Power Up project aims to power up Friends of the Earth Malta’s work on community energy. One of the main solutions we propose for our energy system – still 90% based on fossil fuels – is the idea of renewable energy communities, which are citizen-owned and democratic organisations that work on common renewable energy or energy efficiency projects.