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All new buildings in Malta should be able to generate the clean energy they require, ADPD has proposed as it warned of the risks on Malta as a result of climate change. 

Addressing a press conference in Kalkara earlier today, ADPD chairperson Carmel Cacopardo stressed the need for immediate action to ensure Malta’s sustainability. 

“We must move to a Malta which does not have this intensive construction activity that has been going on for far too long now,” Cacopardo said, insisting that the construction sector needed to be “cut down to size”.

“All development permits should require clean energy generation technology. All new buildings should generate all the clean energy they need,” Cacopardo said. 

He stressed that Malta needed to make better use of renewable energy sources and to carry out a complete overhaul of its transport system. 

“Today we have traffic, cars and pollution everywhere. A Bus Rapid Transit system is sorely needed – that is, lanes currently used by cars should be reserved for buses only – 24 hours a day and free of charge. 

“We need to give road space back to people, we need roads full of trees, roads full of bicycles, scooters and people, not full of vehicles,” he stressed. 

Cacopardo said that, going forward, any form of economic activity needed to be compatible with combating climate change. He called for incentives offered to businesses by the government to be linked to actions in favour of climate protection. 

“We can start with tourism. Now is the time to restructure the sector. Going back to almost three million tourists a year is unsustainable. No more mass tourism.” 

Secretary-General Ralph Cassar warned that Malta was particularly vulnerable to climate change as a result of its geographical position.   

“We are having and will continue to have longer periods of intense heat, which will get worse as years go by. Increased risk of drought, with episodes of torrential rain will increase the risk of flooding. 

“We will have fires in the few wooded areas we have. Maltese fauna and flora will be devastated because they will not be able to adapt easily to higher temperatures.

“We can expect to see the destruction of beaches, especially sandy ones, as the sea level rises due to melting ice around the world,” Cassar said, running through a list of medium-term impacts the country could expect. 

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