It may be a repeating election gimmick, but Friends of the Earth Malta denounces the Maltese government’s decision to once again open the door to fossil fuel exploration in our waters, by giving oil giant Chevron a licence for exploratory studies for oil and gas. Chevron is one of the worst offending polluters in the world, most notably in the Ecuadorian Amazon, where they have caused massive oil spills, destroyed nature, and dumped toxic waste, with detrimental impacts on local communities. 

Exploration studies are not neutral, they are the first step in a chain that leads to fossil fuel extraction, exploitation and continued use. In the climate crisis, with warnings that we are hitting a ‘point of no return’ with runaway climate change, pursuing new fossil fuel reserves is fundamentally incompatible with Malta’s responsibilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the transition to a just, renewable energy system. Climate Campaign Coordinator at Friends of the Earth Malta, Dr Suzanne Maas, added: “Investing in new fossil fuel infrastructure locks Malta into decades of emissions at a time when the climate science is clear: we must drastically cut fossil fuel use now. Any expansion of oil and gas undermines the urgent shift to renewables and delays real climate action.”

The government launched a new energy vision just last week: Malta’s Energy Shift. In the foreword, Energy Minister Miriam Dalli positions Malta as a “regional leader in clean energy and climate neutrality”. Giving out fossil fuel exploration licenses goes completely contrary to that vision and ambition. The PN’s proposal for a “petrol station in the middle of the Med” shows an equal lack of future vision, stuck in the past of polluting fossil fuels. 

Malta has repeatedly issued exploration licences over the years covering vast offshore areas, often with little public scrutiny or tangible benefit to society. This pattern raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability in decisions that affect our shared environmental future. As a small island state, Malta is on the frontline of climate impacts, from rising sea levels to extreme weather and economic vulnerability. Choosing to explore for oil and gas is choosing to worsen the very crisis that threatens our islands’ future.

Friends of the Earth Malta calls on the government, and particularly Minister Dalli, to immediately abandon any plans related to oil and gas exploration, and once and for all close the door to fossil fuel exploration in our territory. Instead, Malta should invest fully in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and community-led solutions that ensure a fair and sustainable energy future.