Environment Statistics 2006

National Statistics Office – Malta

Project implemented under the technical supervision of Eurostat and Plan Bleu © 2006 This publication is financed by the European Commission through MEDSTAT-Environment programme with the technical assistance of the Plan Bleu, the implementing institution. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the National Statistics Office and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. Designed and produced by MediaMaker Limited, Valletta, Malta. Designed and produced by MediaMaker Limited, Valletta, Malta. Printed by Progress Press, Valletta, This publication is available from: The Data Shop CMR O2, Malta. National Statistics Office, Lascaris, Valletta (+356) 2599 7119 Tel: Fax: (+356) 2599 7205 Department of Information O2, Malta. CMR 3, Castille Place, Valletta (+356) 2125 0550 Tel: Fax: (+356) 2123 7170 For further information, please contact: Environment and Regional Statistics Unit CMR O2, Malta. National Statistics Office, Lascaris, Valletta (+356) 2599 7642 Tel: ISBN-13: 978-99909-73-40-2 ISBN-10: 99909-73-40-7 Published by: National Statistics Office CMR O2, Malta. Lascaris, Valletta (+356) 2599 7000 Tel: Fax: (+356) 2599 7205 / 2599 7103 email: [email protected] website: www.nso.gov.mt

Environment Statistics ii Credits Environment Statistics iii Contents Table of Contents Table Foreword Introduction by Alfred Camilleri Landscape Climate Biodiversity Population Water Quality Bathing Water Waste Energy Air Quality Sustainable Development Indicators 19 25 31 35 43 49 53 vii viii 01 05 13 16 2 LIST OF CHARTS OF LIST Water Production per CapitaWater Fish Landings by Broad Species GroupArea Afforded Protection Status 59 58 59 Composition of Waste Collected from Bring-In Sites 2003-2005 Collected Composition of Waste 1999-2005 Recovered at SAWTP Effectively Amounts of Waste Electrical Power Generated in MaltaElectricity Maximum Demand 2005Electricity Consumption by SectorElectrical Consumption Percentage Share in Malta 1990-2005Percentage Share of Fuel ConsumptionFuel Prices in MaltaBenzene Concentration Level Change in Malta 38 per 100 InhabitantsNumber of Passenger Vehicles 39 Arable Land per CapitaElectrical Power Generated in Malta 46 43 44 45 46 54 50 47 57 55 Population Density vs Tourist Density 1996-2005Population Density vs Tourist Bodies of MaltaDistribution of the Ground Water by Source 1985-2005 Production Water by Supply Category 1995-2005 Use Water 2002-2005 Losses Water Proportions) 1999-2005 Generation in Malta (Average Waste Generation in Malta 1999-2005Waste 23 26 36 27 27 36 29 Total Monthly Rainfall 2005 Monthly Total and Sunshine 2005Temperature Endangered Species in Malta Species in MaltaVulnerable Declining Species in MaltaProtected Areas According to Designation/Km 2005Protected and Managed Areas in Malta Population Density of Malta, 1995Population Density of Malta, 1985Population Density of Malta, 1967 Arrivals/Departures Malta 1996-2005Tourist 11 10 14 17 15 15 20 22 20 21 Mean Windspeed 2005 1990-2005Monthly Mean Temperature 2005Mean Temperatures Sunshine 1990-2005Monthly Mean Bright Sunshine 2005Mean Duration of Bright Mean Rainfall 1990-2005 Rainfall Malta 1990-2005 Annual Total 06 08 06 08 08 10 09 Total Number of Development Permits granted by MEPA Permits granted Number of Development Total Landcover of MaltaCorine 2000 Windspeed 1990-2005Monthly Mean 02 06 03 Chart 10.6 Chart 10.4 Chart 10.5 Chart 10.1 Chart 10.2 Chart 10.3 Chart 8.6 Chart 9.1 Chart 8.4 Chart 8.5 Chart 8.2 Chart 8.3 Chart 7.3 Chart 7.4 Chart 8.1 Chart 7.1 Chart 7.2 Chart 5.3 Chart 5.4 Chart 4.5 Chart 5.1 Chart 5.2 Chart 4.3 Chart 4.4 Chart 4.1 Chart 4.2 Chart 3.4 Chart 3.5 Chart 3.1 Chart 3.2 Chart 3.3 Chart 2.9 Chart 2.10 Chart 2.7 Chart 2.8 Chart 2.4 Chart 2.5 Chart 2.6 Chart 2.2 Chart 2.3 Chart 1.2 Chart 2.1 Chart 1.1

Environment Statistics iv List of Charts Environment Statistics v List of Tables Fuel Imports per CapitaSite Days During Which Bathing Areas were Closed because of Contamination adopted by the Contracting Parties Mediterranean Interim Criteria for Bathing Waters 58 56 Distribution of GDP (Agriculture, Industry, Services)Distribution of GDP (Agriculture, Industry, per Capita Generated Municipal Waste 54 55 Separate Collection of Waste Fractions in Malta 1999-2005Separate Collection of Waste 1999-2005Composition of Municipal Waste in Malta 1999-2005 Waste and Disposal of Municipal Treatment and Disposal Installations 1999-2005 Treatment Waste Electricity Maximum Demand MWFuel Imports Metric Tonnes Measurements in Days at FlorianaReal Time 37 39 40 38 49 44 46 Classification of Bathing Water Sites according to the EU Criteria: 2005 Sites according to the EU Criteria: Classification of Bathing Water by Sector 1999-2005Generation of Waste in Malta 1999-2005 Waste Generation and Collection of Municipal 32 37 35 Water Use by Supply Category 1995-2005 Use Water 1995-2005 Losses Water 2000 Sites according to the EU Criteria: Classification of Bathing Water 2001 Sites according to the EU Criteria: Classification of Bathing Water 2002 Sites according to the EU Criteria: Classification of Bathing Water 2003 Sites according to the EU Criteria: Classification of Bathing Water 2004 Sites according to the EU Criteria: Classification of Bathing Water 31 31 32 32 32 28 28 Fresh Water ResourcesFresh Water Production 1985-2005Annual Water 26 25 Animal Population Statistics – Freshwater species – Marine species (Data for 2002) – Freshwater species – Marine Animal Population Statistics (Data for 2002) – Insecta – Crustacea – Mollusca Animal Population Statistics – Lichens – Macrofungi – Plants – Mosses – Vascular Plant Population Statistics 14 adapted by MEPAProtected Areas according to Classification Population and Population Density of MaltaTotal Inhabitants in MaltaTourists/100 14 16 19 22 Temperature and Sunshine in Malta (2005)Temperature – Amphibians (Data for 2002) – Mammals – Birds – Reptiles Animal Population Statistics 13 10 Land Use Cover of Malta – PercentageLand Use by Category granted by MEPA Permits Annual Average Speed (Knots) 1990-2005Mean Wind Celsius) 1990-2005 (Degrees Mean Monthly Temperatures Sunshine Duration (Hours) 1990-2005Monthly Mean Bright Rainfall (mm) 1990-2005 Seasonal Total 02 07 07 01 05 09 to the Barcelona Convention in 1985 (76/160/EEC) Annex 1 Quality Directive EU Bathing Water Quality Requirements for Bathing Water 32 33 Algae (Data for 2005) 14 LIST OF TABLES OF LIST Appendix 1 Table 10.3 Table 10.4 Table Table 10.1 Table 10.2 Table Table 8.1 Table 8.2 Table 9.1 Table Table 7.5 Table 7.6 Table Table 7.3 Table 7.4 Table Table 6.6 Table 7.1 Table 7.2 Table Table 6.4 Table 6.5 Table Table 6.2 Table 6.3 Table Table 5.3 Table 5.4 Table 6.1 Table Table 5.1 Table 5.2 Table Table 4.1 Table 4.2 Table Table 3.4 Table 3.5 Table Table 3.2 Table 3.3 Table Table 2.5 Table 3.1 Table Table 2.2 Table 2.3 Table 2.4 Table Table 1.2 Table 2.1 Table Table 1.1 Table Appendix 2 BLANK Environment Statistics vii Foreword Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Syria, Authority, and, Turkey Tunisia, for the continuation of the programme, Cyprus and Malta, which have been Member States since 1st May 2004. 1. REFERENCE have 1 statistics systems with regard to the production of environmental statistics; each national statistics system; standards underway; and among the Mediterranean partners themselves; in terms of environmental statistics; The member states of the European Union and the Mediterranean Partner countries the European Union and the Mediterranean The member states of The results targeted in this second phase are: • strengthening of national contribute to the institutional and inter-institutional To • the specific situation of adapt the regional strategy so as to take into consideration To • with the international and European promote the harmonisation of national statistics To • countries and the European Union, ensure data exchange between the Mediterranean To • the Euro-Mediterranean partnership ensure more visibility concerning the results from To • regional and international levels. take into consideration the users’ needs at national, To and This national statistics compendium of Malta is co-financed by National Statistics Office of The efforts deployed by the National Statistics Office Malta throughout this second phase As of the launching of the programme in 1996, the environment was proposed to be fully As of the launching of the programme in 1996, project (MED-Env II), implemented by Plan This second phase of the MEDSTAT-Environment the sustainable capacity of the twelve The main objective of MED-Env II is to strengthen The European Union’s policy with regard to the Mediterranean region is governed by the Euro- policy with regard to the Mediterranean The European Union’s launched after the 1995 (referred to as the Barcelona Process) Mediterranean partnership 2005 which celebrated The Euro-Mediterranean summit of November Barcelona Conference. to the principles and of the Barcelona Process restated the commitment the 10th anniversary the importance of regional of Barcelona and reiterated objectives of the Declaration understanding and cooperation. the MEDSTAT-Environment programme. This compendium, as visibility tool, reflects the the MEDSTAT-Environment progress made by National Statistics Office in the production of environmental information programme. since the launching of the MEDSTAT-Environment have helped not only to enrich and widen the collection of MEDSTAT-Environment the environmental data but also to put in place the means to disseminate on a regular basis updated environmental statistics produced and collected. This second publication, which is an version of the first compendium published in 2003, is a perfect illustration of this effort. dealt with; the sub-programme MEDSTAT-Environment was put in place, the latter forming one dealt with; the sub-programme MEDSTAT-Environment sub-programmes. of the ten MEDSTAT Action Plan, covers the period 2003-2006 Bleu, regional activity centre of the Mediterranean out in the first phase of the programme (1999-2003) and is a continuation of the actions carried air pollutant emission, biodiversity and the while emphasising efforts for three new topics: sustainable development. MED-Env II is based on calculation of environmental indicators for country since the start of the programme. the experience and progress made by each and publish complete, reliable, relevant Mediterranean partner countries to produce taking into account the users’ needs. This environmental statistics and indicators while international standards, more especially with the information should be in conformity with time and space. European ones, in order to be comparable in intensified their relationship in the field of statistics thanks to MEDSTAT, the regional statistics in the field of statistics thanks to MEDSTAT, intensified their relationship Commission (MEDA fund) This programme is funded by the European cooperation programme, Directorate General of EuropeAid Cooperation under the contractual responsibility of the statistics office, is in charge of the technical Office. Eurostat, the European Community’s confirms the importance of supplying complete, monitoring of the programme. MEDSTAT for decision-makers and for a sustainable economic reliable, relevant and comparable statistics development of the Mediterranean region. FOREWORD , which rocked Silent Spring Another aspect of these two logics centres on consumption patterns and the convoluted equation that these have given Another aspect of these two logics centres on consumption patterns and the convoluted How are the environment and economic prosperity related? Environmentalists, economists and governments have long How are the environment and economic prosperity related? Environmentalists, economists Carson’s pleas for pesticide control, the need for the conservation of nature, and warnings against environmentally- pleas for pesticide control, Carson’s The utilitarian approach Grim statistics Forty-four years ago Rachel Carson, writer, biologist and ecologist, published a book entitled biologist and ecologist, published Carson, writer, Forty-four years ago Rachel been at loggerheads regarding the way environmental sustainability is measured. There is no accounting for environmental been at loggerheads regarding the way environmental sustainability is measured. There been wrought over centuries, the damage, environmentalists argue; conceding difficulties in measuring the havoc that has economic practices also stand damages that are occurring now and will occur in the future due to uncontrolled, non-green data, or the availability of poor or the chance of not being assessed. The problem, they reiterate, is lack of environmental capital. Environmentalists make the incomplete data. Another problem is caught between the lines of different concepts of accountants putting a value on the distinction between natural capital and man-made capital. Natural capital entails the The see-saw biodiversity. environmental assets – public parks; woodlands; groundwater; the sea; the country’s country’s the process of cutting down on its oscillating between man-made capital and natural capital means that a country in This its waters grows richer. while a country that over-fishes industrial production equipment gets poorer economically, even in the face of an environmental dilemma that already has us in its grip. As things stand, spells out the reality today, the logic of environmental conservation is not the logic of the market-place. of living – and this has become rise to. The essence of our modern way of life has been distilled in one phrase – standard gadget and household electronic closely identified with the unbridled pursuit of possessions. Model replaces model of car, this process spawns replication, increased production, search to titillate consumers’ appetites. Yet amenity in the market’s as well as the burden on the rising emissions and industrial waste, thereby increasing, not decreasing, global warming natural resources. By leaving environmental considerations out of the standard-of-living equation, governments planet’s present population and for future generations. and industrial corporations are endangering quality of life for the world’s compiled by 1,360 natural Just over a year ago, specifically in March 2005, the UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment degrading almost two-thirds of the and social scientists from 95 countries concluded that humanity is now consuming and caused human diseases pale today against the magnitude of a global environmental crisis that has entire ecosystems caused human diseases pale today against most threatening aspect of this crisis is global warming, the evidence of struggling to avert collapse. The biggest and The facts are alarming rate to a global air temperature that is rising rapidly. which ranges from ice-caps melting at an – a biohistorical fraction of a second – the levels of carbon dioxide that, in the two hundred years since industrialisation In increased by 35 per cent, with one-third of this being effected in the past four decades. atmosphere have in the Earth’s has gone up by about 0.6˚C. On a local level, weather data indicate these two centuries, the global average temperature temperature over the past seventy-seven years. In addition, most greenhouse a 0.5˚C rise in the Maltese average annual thus generating a cumulative warming effect. In 2001, the UN gases linger for decades in the atmosphere, composed of 2,500 scientists, predicted an increase of between 1.4 and 5.8˚C Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, British Blair told the In September 2004, Tony the course of the 21st century. in the globally averaged air temperature in environmental challenge”. He acknowledged the rate of climate change Parliament that global warming is “our greatest But how short is long term? Does it refer to the lifetimes of our thrice- or to be “simply unsustainable in the long term”. of our children, or to ours even? twice-removed descendants, to the life spans America and most of the world. In it, she sought to trigger awareness among the general public on the indiscriminate use among the general public on the indiscriminate the world. In it, she sought to trigger awareness America and most of Life. Prior to of life in Nature – and of the very nature of sprays, portraying the latter as destroyers of poisonous chemical world, standard bearer of the industrialised western work in September 1962, America, as the the appearance of this the process Rachel Carson exposed its dark side, in beneficial effects of scientific invention. believed wholly in the heart and life making it an issue that touched the as a discipline and, more than a discipline, launching environmentalism irrefutable none more so than in the increasingly In our time, this dark side is being manifested of the everyday man. measure. beings and natural habitats in equal a phenomenon that is threatening human evidence of global warming, INTRODUCTION

Environment Statistics viii Introduction Environment Statistics ix

natural resources that support life. These include forests, fresh water, minerals, fish and arable land. In the process, the Introduction wetlands, woodlands, coastal fisheries, and all other habitats that recycle air, water and natural nutrients for all living creatures are being irremediably damaged. All this does not simply point out, but rams home the need to explore the dichotomy between energy consumption and economic growth, and to ensure that energy issues firmly straddle both the economic and the environmental policymaking agendas.

The aesthetic approach

Are we overstating the importance of biodiversity? In early 2004, an article in the journal Nature suggested that, by 2050, between 15 and 37 per cent of the planet’s animal and plant species could die out as a result of global warming. This brings up the problem that many nature conservationists face when arguing their case for natural habitats. Most of us can be made to understand the urgency of tackling environmental issues such as climate change, which causes natural disasters such as floods, tsunamis and drought; ozone depletion, which has become linked in our minds with skin cancer; and fuel emissions, which pollute the air we breathe and contribute to global warming. However, in contrast to many other pressing global and environmental problems, the case for biodiversity is perceived by several quarters to be one that can be shifted time and again to the back-burner. For biodiversity does not put food into people’s mouths and, if it comes to a choice between acreage for crops and the protection of a native songbird, then the songbird must be sacrificed all the time. Yet, nobody questions the need to conserve historic buildings and monuments, rare manuscripts, archives and archeological sites, even given that a considerable part of our consciousness today is attuned to cultural capital as “goods” that act as the country’s breadwinners by attracting tourists. What we should ask ourselves is: If nobody travelled for leisure any more, would we throw away our old masters or pull down our museums to make way for housing estates? The truth is that nature’s creatures are as much a country’s heritage as its language and its cultural assets. If they are to be valued, they must be valued for their own sake, as things of beauty, and because the country would be the poorer for their loss.

Concluding remarks

Truth to tell, there is no lack of expressed concerns. Intergovernmental gatherings, scientific assessments of ecosystems and glacial melting, addresses and speeches by the highest authorities, are well-known components of international news and media events. Yet actions, or the trends constituted by actions, seem to belie awareness. The Kyoto Treaty requires that industrialised countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by about 5 per cent below 1990s levels by 2010. By contrast, the United Nations assesses that industrialised countries are well off the Kyoto target for the end of the decade. Instead of 5 per cent below, the United Nations is predicting emissions 10 per cent above 1990s levels by 2010. Of the EU Member States, only four look set to meet their own targets by the end of the current decade. Far from decreasing, world oil production is at an all-time high and growing. At the local level, The State of the Environment Report 2005 revealed that energy consumption in Malta grew by 61 per cent in the 1990-2002 year span. This shows that we too are increasing our oil consumption and thereby, our contribution to global warming is growing accordingly. At the same time, municipal solid waste increased by 45 per cent between 1996 and 2004 and a rise of eight per cent was recorded with regard to water consumption in the seven-year span 1998-2004. Malta’s only renewable fresh water resource – ground water – has been deemed to be in serious jeopardy as a result of over-usage and pollution. These are all indicators that point to heightened burdens on natural resources at a time when we urgently need to change tack and identify alternative sources. Solutions will not come overnight. What is sure, however, is that binding solutions will come about when governments, industrial corporations and the people in general act in concert with one another. Global warming, environmental pollution and degradation know no national borders. We are in this together.

Alfred Camilleri Director-General BLANK Environment Statistics 01 Landscape Coniferous forestSclerophyllous vegetationVineyardsMixed forestDump sitesSport and leisure facilities 18.3 Pastures 0.1 0.4 0.6 0.2 0.5 0.1 TABLE 1.1: TABLE – PERCENTAGE LAND USE COVER OF MALTA Green Urban areas Non irrigated arable landIndustrial/commercial units 1.2 Airports Mineral extraction sites Salines 0.1 0.4 0.5 Discontinuous urban fabric 2.1 Continuous urban fabricAgricultural land 1.2 Port areas woodland / shrubTransitional 21 Complex cultivation paterns Sparslely vegetatred areas 1.2 Irrigated land 0.6 46.8 0.9 2.8 0.7 0.3 . about Across the years in history from 2

The agricultural area has declined by around 27 per cent, in the The agricultural area has declined by around From this Corine land cover data set it is evident that agricultural The data also show that other substantial areas of the islands have natural landscape of the islands. 5200BC till the present date, the human population has left its impact on the 5200BC till the present date, period between 1970 and 2005. Urban sprawl over the past 35 years has seriously affected the overall balance between rural and built-up areas, bringing about the loss of identity of the different centres. New developments have often been located and designed without any concern for topographical and landscape features. The continuity of the rural pattern of field features and farm buildings has been completely disregarded by insensitive road networks and building alignments. Major landmarks in the rural landscape such as windmills, churches and urban skylines are now engulfed or mostly hidden by haphazard developments. Environmental decay and landscape deterioration are 1.1 gives an overview of the land use also caused by quarrying. Table cover of Malta. land use is the most dominant in the islands, occupying around 46.8 The urban fabric is the second land use factor per cent of the territory. which is present on the islands due to the high population density. Chart 1.2 displays the geographical distribution of such factors. It is clearly evident that the south and central areas of Malta are dominated by the urban fabric land use. Another dominant land use factor in the Maltese land cover is the garigue vegetation which grows all over the naturally exposed limestone areas. been transformed into artificial land uses for socio-economic purposes. Examples of these are the airport, industrial areas and ports land areas. Thus the natural habitat, together with agricultural land uses, is Malta’s limestone landscape is characterised by a varied coastline, limestone landscape is characterised Malta’s marsh and sand dune narrow dry valleys, seasonal springs, rare salt remnants, karstland, habitats, caves, wetlands, pockets of local forest natural composition has sparse maquis areas, and cliff habitats. This purposes and also been modified by human beings for agricultural period has been for building patterns. In fact, the post-independence in Malta, one of rapid growth in the area occupied by settlement full-time farmers and accompanied by a decrease in the number of in registered cultivated land. with an area of approximately 316km with an area of approximately Malta is a small archipelago located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta is a small archipelago LANDSCAPE CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER development most preferred by the preferred most development the urban share of The largest Maltese. of new to the erection fabric is dedicated per this makes up of 57 dwellings and by permits which are granted cent of the shows The table also year. each MEPA Number of permits These development permits range from permits development These the construction of new dwellings for new dwellings of the construction of purposes to the extraction residential the building of such minerals for an 1.2 gives Table developments. the type of urban indication of 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENT PERMITS GRANTED BY MEPA DEVELOPMENT PERMITS GRANTED NUMBER OF TOTAL CHART 1.1 year Recreational Hotel/tourist accommodation Educational 17 27 15 0.62 0.95 0.55 Agricultural (inc fish farms & ag rooms) (Commerce/Industry storage)Warehousing 168 37 5.99 1.31 Listed Building Alterations Car parking and vehicle garaging Community and Health Services 25 147 38 5.23 0.89 1.34 Restaurant/cafe/bar Listed Building Demolition 21 4 0.76 0.15 Offices Shops and retail services 69 31 2.45 1.09 Mineral Working Mineral Working Manufacturing/Industrial 7 46 0.24 1.63 Change of Use (no substantial works) New Dwellings (inc by conversion) 539 1619 19.17 57.64 CATEGORY NUMBER PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE BY CATEGORY GRANTED BY MEPA PERMITS AVERAGE 1.2: ANNUAL TABLE NUMBER CATEGORY in continuous conflict with the increasing with the conflict in continuous of artificial for the introduction demand Chart 1.1 shows the land surfaces. permits which number of development the past over by MEPA have been granted ten years.

Environment Statistics 02 Landscape Environment Statistics 03 Landscape continuation of the dry wall construction so dry wall construction of the continuation especially landscape, of Malta’s typical these hillside terraced fields; enriching the to being degraded due are progressively in hill of agricultural activity abandonment areas. Green urban areas (0.5%) (0.4%) Non-irrigated arable land units (2.1%) Industrial or commercial Airports (1.2%) (1.2%) Mineral extraction sites Salines (0.1%) Discontinuous urban fabric (21%) Continuous urban fabric (1.2%) Land principally occupied by agriculture (46.8%) Port areas (0.7%) (0.6%) Woodland/Shrub Transitional Complex cultivation patterns (0.9%) Sparsely vegetated areas (2.8%) Permanently irrigated land (0.3%) Coniferous forest (0.4%) Sclerophyllous vegetation (18.3%) (0.2%) Vineyards Mixed forest (0.5%) Dump sites (0.1%) Sport and leisure facilities (0.6%) Pastures (0.1%) Sea and Ocean Agricultural activity is itself an important is itself an activity Agricultural part of the landscape of the islands; this of the islands; the landscape part of both for its should be conserved its value and for cultural/associational that enrich landscape. visual qualities the is being given to Particular attention CORINE 2000 LANDCOVER OF MALTA CORINE 2000 LANDCOVER SOURCE MEPA CHART 1.2 that there is a demand for garages on for garages is a demand that there the is due to and this the islands rate of vehicle ownership. prevalent high for agricultural purposes Applications per cent of the total granted make up six permits. BLANK Environment Statistics 05 Climate wind speed ranges from 6.34 Knots in August to 9.88 Knots in the month of April. Chart 2.2 shows that in 2005 the highest wind speed, 10.3 Knots, was recorded in year 1999, as opposed to the lowest mean wind speed, 3.9 Knots, recorded in October 2004. The monthly mean wind speed for the years under review reveals that mean 5.708.90 7.909.40 10.10 10.108.40 7.30 7.20 8.50 10.30 8.50 8.70 9.20 7.90 9.50 6.90 6.20 9.40 8.40 4.90 7.40 8.40 7.30 4.80 7.00 6.50 6.30 4.80 6.60 7.50 5.70 6.50 6.40 8.30 5.60 6.30 8.20 7.10 3.90 6.10 8.00 6.50 7.30 9.80 6.70 8.70 7.80 7.60 9.60 8.70 11.80 8.70 8.20 8.40 6.30 8.00 8.50 8.80 9.40 6.607.30 9.20 9.60 10.40 10.00 9.509.90 9.40 8.507.80 10.80 7.50 9.307.50 10.60 8.00 8.90 6.70 7.60 9.00 8.60 7.00 10.40 5.60 9.20 10.10 6.20 9.29 6.70 8.00 8.10 6.90 9.26 9.80 8.20 6.80 9.10 7.46 9.50 8.00 6.00 8.40 7.65 8.70 6.50 9.50 8.30 6.90 7.40 8.80 8.10 7.00 9.50 10.40 11.50 9.00 8.60 9.60 9.70 9.408.50 9.60 9.60 7.40 10.30 10.90 9.90 8.10 9.70 7.40 8.50 7.10 7.10 6.40 5.80 7.60 6.70 7.90 6.90 9.10 8.80 10.10 10.90 10.90 11.4010.30 10.30 10.60 10.60 9.50 8.40 10.70 8.50 9.70 8.14 8.20 5.46 7.60 6.17 6.80 6.60 8.70 9.50 5.50 12.40 8.30 8.10 11.1011.50 11.70 8.70 6.60 10.60 11.10 9.70 8.60 8.20 7.10 8.10 6.50 6.10 6.00 7.70 6.30 8.40 7.70 7.20 4.60 9.80 7.70 8.50

2004 2005 MEAN 8.80 9.50 9.19 9.88 8.55 7.68 7.07 6.34 7.27 7.41 8.26 9.33 2001 2002 2003 1999 2000 1997 1998 1994 1995 1996 1992 1993 1990 1991 TABLE 2.1: MEAN WIND SPEED (KNOTS) 1990-2005 2.1: MEAN TABLE YEAR JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC range from 1990 to 2005. Wind speed, Temperature, Sunshine and Rainfall. The years under review Sunshine Wind speed, Temperature, 2.1 and Chart 2.1 reflect the monthly Table mean wind speed in Malta in the last 15 years. The highest mean wind speed, 12.40 Knots, was recorded in December of the winters. The main climatic parameters to be discussed in this chapter are winters. The main climatic characterised by scarce and irregular rainfalls, hot dry summers and mild wet characterised by scarce and The semi-arid climatic regime of Malta and Gozo is typically Mediterranean, The semi-arid climatic regime CLIMATE CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER Month Month Month JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 5 0 8.00 6.00 4.00 2.00 0.00

8 6 4 2 0

12.00 10.00 30 25 20 15 10

12 10

Knots Degrees Celsius Degrees Knots 1990-2005 MEAN TEMPERATURE MONTHLY MEAN WINDSPEED 2005 MONTHLY MEAN WINDSPEED 1990-2005 MEAN WINDSPEED MONTHLY CHART 2.3 CHART 2.2 CHART 2.1 CHART

Environment Statistics 06 Climate Environment Statistics 07 Climate The monthly mean bright sunshine temperature, 10.6˚C, was recorded in February. duration in Malta in the last 15 years is 2.4. The longest illustrated in Table bright sunshine duration, 12.73 hours, occurred in July 1998, and the shortest duration of bright sunshine occurred in August 1999 when mean temperature reached 29.3˚C. The lowest mean temperature, 10.4˚C, was recorded in February 2003. Chart 2.4 illustrates the monthly mean temperatures in the year 2005. The highest mean temperature, followed by 26.7˚C, was recorded in July, August, 25.4˚C, while the lowest mean 5.106.20 6.105.30 7.00 7.204.60 4.90 7.00 8.206.40 5.80 7.50 8.20 9.70 6.20 7.90 8.30 9.50 10.90 7.30 8.80 10.10 11.70 11.80 7.70 10.60 11.90 11.20 10.90 10.50 12.20 11.90 10.50 8.70 11.50 11.60 9.20 8.30 7.10 10.30 7.50 11.70 7.80 6.10 7.90 9.80 6.00 5.20 5.10 5.00 8.50 5.70 5.00 6.50 6.90 4.80 6.10 6.60 4.90 4.935.21 6.63 7.39 7.10 7.50 9.59 9.00 10.21 10.80 8.38 12.45 10.75 10.30 12.32 8.89 11.84 8.96 7.37 6.85 4.61 7.42 4.74 5.67 4.465.49 6.475.50 5.81 4.985.55 6.89 7.18 8.784.21 8.23 8.78 9.56 8.055.54 4.69 8.21 7.85 10.194.75 10.58 7.73 7.32 8.56 10.70 11.20 11.10 7.72 8.25 7.57 10.35 11.47 11.68 11.39 6.72 7.52 10.85 11.66 11.54 8.91 9.01 8.63 11.03 11.40 11.17 9.24 10.40 6.41 10.90 9.43 9.91 8.81 11.54 6.59 6.74 11.45 11.74 10.72 6.96 6.85 5.86 4.62 9.88 12.73 8.22 5.85 7.05 5.62 11.70 7.27 8.04 5.65 6.34 8.47 7.07 6.48 4.69 7.63 5.22 6.02 5.73 4.78 5.19 3.854.81 8.10 6.14 7.36 6.92 7.49 8.98 8.51 9.55 10.69 11.03 11.97 12.44 10.51 11.30 9.09 8.03 6.83 6.37 6.20 7.08 4.61 3.94 12.2011.10 13.00 10.60 13.80 13.40 16.10 15.50 18.20 20.10 23.10 23.70 26.30 26.70 26.70 25.40 23.40 24.30 22.20 21.30 16.80 17.90 15.00 14.10 11.5013.40 13.80 10.40 15.50 12.70 16.90 15.50 19.50 20.40 24.60 26.10 27.10 28.80 26.40 28.70 24.00 24.50 21.30 22.10 18.30 18.00 14.20 13.90 11.9014.20 14.1014.10 12.60 13.5013.00 13.20 13.40 15.3012.90 13.60 13.80 15.50 20.0011.20 11.60 13.40 14.70 19.10 24.3014.30 12.10 13.60 17.70 20.30 23.00 27.20 13.20 14.20 16.60 20.00 25.80 25.90 27.50 16.90 17.00 21.60 25.50 26.30 26.30 24.40 16.50 21.10 25.40 27.20 26.90 24.20 20.30 20.60 24.00 26.40 27.80 24.10 20.30 16.50 23.90 26.90 29.30 24.80 21.30 18.00 15.60 27.10 27.90 25.90 22.10 17.90 15.10 27.70 25.10 22.90 17.00 14.70 25.10 22.00 18.20 13.30 23.30 18.00 14.60 18.00 13.00 12.80 12.4013.40 11.40 11.30 13.00 14.90 15.90 15.70 20.10 20.80 24.00 23.50 25.70 27.10 27.70 28.80 25.00 25.90 22.30 21.70 17.80 18.20 14.50 14.60 13.2012.30 14.1012.20 12.30 14.70 11.70 15.40 16.70 14.00 15.20 19.70 16.10 17.10 23.90 18.90 22.90 26.70 22.50 25.90 26.30 24.90 28.80 25.90 27.70 25.50 23.70 24.60 22.50 18.30 23.10 17.10 13.00 18.90 11.80 14.70 Temperature in Malta generally Temperature MEAN 12.70 12.40 14.10 16.00 19.80 24.10 26.60 27.40 24.70 20.60 16.60 13.20 2004 2005 2002 2003 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 1995 1996 1993 1994 1990 1991 1992 TABLE 2.2: MEAN MONTHLY TEMPERATURES (DEGREES CELSIUS) 1990-2005 CELSIUS) (DEGREES TEMPERATURES MONTHLY 2.2: MEAN TABLE YEAR JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 2004 2005 MEAN 5.10 6.60 7.30 8.40 9.70 11.00 11.80 10.80 8.30 6.70 6.10 5.10 2001 2002 2003 1999 2000 1997 1998 1994 1995 1996 1992 1993 1990 1991 TABLE 2.3: MONTHLY MEAN BRIGHT SUNSHINE DURATION (HOURS) 1990-2005 MEAN BRIGHT SUNSHINE DURATION 2.3: MONTHLY TABLE YEAR JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC February, and June and October saw the February, lowest wind speed in the islands, 6.5 Knots. reaches its peak in the month of August, 2.3 as illustrated by Chart 2.3. Table shows that the highest mean temperature recorded from 1990 to 2005 occurred in Month Month Month JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 5 0

8 6 4 2 0 8 6 4 2 0 30 25 20 15 10

14 12 10 14 12 10

Hours Degress Celsius Degress Hours OF BRIGHT SUNSHINE 2005 MEAN DURATION MONTHLY MEAN BRIGHT SUNSHINE 1990-2005 MEAN BRIGHT SUNSHINE MONTHLY MEAN TEMPERATURES 2005 MEAN TEMPERATURES CHART 2.6 CHART 2.5 CHART 2.4 CHART

Environment Statistics 08 Climate Environment Statistics 09 Climate 551.80 233.10 592.20 341.30 454.10 461.40 505.60 408.40 303.70 495.50 513.60 390.20 502.40 345.00 451.70 907.70 Chart 2.9 shows total monthly rainfall May and September. Chart 2.7 illustrates May and September. the monthly trend of total rainfall in the last 15 years. Mean rainfall ranged from 0.10 mm in July to 82.97 mm in the The total annual month of December. rainfall occurring in Malta in the last 15 years is illustrated in Chart 2.8. The lowest rainfall amount, 233.15 mm, was recorded in 1998, whereas the highest amount of rainfall, 907.73 mm, was recorded in 2003. in 2005. When compared to Chart 2.7, Month or 0.025 mm rain were registered in the islands between the months of traccia seasonal rainfall in Malta for the last 15 2.5. The highest years is shown in Table amount of rainfall, 260.1 mm, occurred in September 2003. This amount is relatively high when compared to the mean rainfall of September in the last 15 years, that is 53.8 mm. The same situation occurred in October 1994 when a total of 225.9 mm of rainfall was registered, as compared to the 55.8 mm mean for that month. Several signs of JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 76.10 53.60 23.90 20.80 8.70 1.80 0.10 8.60 53.80 55.80 79.50 82.90 466.10 48.80 14.8036.20 21.60 82.60 30.20 7.80 3.20 15.20 3.00 1.20 0.00 0.40 0.02 0.02 79.80 20.80 19.80 39.00 148.60 94.00 91.60 61.20 147.20 37.30 37.4026.30 30.6046.60 4.00 7.80 43.20 22.50 26.1074.00 17.90 1.50 2.00 38.1022.00 0.70 2.20 36.30 60.60 0.20 0.02 0.00 12.60 9.00 0.00 0.00 55.10 30.90 5.70 123.80 0.02 0.02 0.02 100.50 9.20 12.50 82.00 98.20 0.02 0.02 9.60 2.30 57.40 13.50 13.60 0.02 56.90 14.00 292.90 20.50 17.20 11.00 145.50 21.40 38.50 22.40 72.40 180.00 106.60 83.30 12.6042.10 105.00 25.90 67.40 24.10 23.30 0.02 2.50 1.40 4.20 0.00 0.00 2.00 14.70 142.10 29.30 74.00 56.60 57.50 9.80 90.70 35.30 96.70 63.50 19.8032.60 23.20 28.0042.80 18.50 18.40 40.00 1.80 2.00 8.00 101.80 0.00 22.60 0.20 0.02 1.00 0.02 10.50 0.00 34.40 0.00 0.00 5.60 0.00 23.60 133.40 53.70 3.30 65.50 225.90 57.30 51.30 22.20 151.80 150.00 55.40 21.40 27.20 16.20 0.02 0.80 260.10 37.40 85.40 102.00 120.90 118.50 6.40 22.50 5.30 0.02 0.02 0.00 23.10 75.00 14.60 65.40 197.30 1.30159.40 6.50 58.20 15.60 22.00 10.30 8.50 0.02 7.20 1.50 0.00 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.00 52.50 105.30 0.02 112.10 20.30 1.50 67.90 0

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 MEAN RAINFALL 1990-2005 MEAN RAINFALL mm CHART 2.7 Rainfall in the islands is vital since it MEAN 2004 2005 2002 2003 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 1995 1996 1993 1994 1990 1991 1992 TABLE 2.4: TOTAL SEASONAL RAINFALL (mm) 1990-2005 (mm) RAINFALL SEASONAL 2.4: TOTAL TABLE YEAR JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC TOTAL January 1990. Mean bright sunshine in the last 15 years ranged between 5.12 and 11.8 hours in the month of January, as illustrated hours in the month of July, in Chart 2.5. The mean bright sunshine duration for the year 2005 is shown in Chart 2.6.The peak occurred in July with 11.7 hours of bright sunshine, against a low of 4.9 hours of bright sunshine that occurred in December 2005. replenishes groundwater; nevertheless it is highly irregular and uneven. The total Table 2.6 and Chart 2.10 illustrate the Table relationship between Temperature and relationship between Temperature Sunshine for the year 2005 in the islands. It is evident that a direct relationship exists between these two parameters. Year Month occurred in October, this being a occurred in October, relatively high amount when compared to that is 55.8 the mean rainfall in October, mm. The same occurred in February 2005 when total rainfall amounted to 82.6 mm as compared to the mean, 53.6 mm. 5.1 6.6 7.3 8.4 9.7 11 11.8 10.8 8.3 6.7 6.1 5.1 12.7 12.4 14.1 16 19.8 24.1 26.6 27.4 24.7 20.6 16.6 13.2 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 0 0

900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 80 60 40 20

1000 160 140 120 100

TOTAL MONTHLY RAINFALL 2005 RAINFALL MONTHLY TOTAL mm TOTAL ANNUAL RAINFALL MALTA 1990-2005 MALTA RAINFALL ANNUAL TOTAL mm CHART 2.9 CHART 2.8 CHART Temperature Sunshine (Hours) (Degrees) TABLE 2.5: TEMPERATURE AND SUNSHINE IN MALTA (2005) AND SUNSHINE IN MALTA 2.5: TEMPERATURE TABLE Chart 2.9 illustrates a different monthly trend in precipitation. In 2005, the highest amount of rainfall, 147.2 mm, whereas the was recorded in December, lowest amount, 0.4 mm, was recorded in June. A peak of 94 mm of rainfall

Environment Statistics 10 Climate

Environment Statistics 11 Climate Hours se and 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Temperature (Degrees)Temperature Sunshine (Hours) Month JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 5 0

30 25 20 15 10 TEMPERATURE AND SUNSHINE 2005 AND SUNSHINE TEMPERATURE Celsius Degrees CHART 2.10 CHART islands are based on a daily, monthly, and annual basis. Some of the climate statistics range from the year 1840 up till 2006, and monthly, islands are based on a daily, other parameters cover the last 70 year period. REFERENCES The statistics from the Meteorological Office regarding climate in the Malte The Meteorological office is the main data source. BLANK Environment Statistics 13 Biodiversity 1 5 climate and human intervention are the two other major factors determining the species composition of Malta. Climate change may pose a threat to species stability in the coming years, mean temperature is since Malta’s expected to rise by a further 3˚C by 2100. On the other hand, judging from past trends, there is a 50 per cent probability that by 2100, rainfall would decrease by 17 per cent from present levels. Environment Action th 4 SPECIES These bio- 3 Apart from the influences originating Malta can be considered as an geographical regions comprise, on the and Eastern one hand, the Western basins of the Mediterranean, and on the other hand, the African Mediterranean lands to the South and the European Mediterranean lands to the North. from these bio-geographical regions, Ecotone, since it lies between various bio-geographical regions, and thus acts as a zone of transition. 110001100 15 15 1 1 6.67 12 12 2 2 32 32 2 2 6.25 13 13 11 11 182 182 4 4 2.2 17 17 0 0 SPECIES INDIGENOUS SPECIES INDIGENOUS THREATENED SPECIES SPECIES According to the OF KNOWN WHICH: ENDANGEREDWHICH: OF INDIGENOUS VULNERABLE INDIGENOUS DECLINING INDIGENOUS 2 TOTAL NUMBERTOTAL OF TOTAL NUMBER OF ENDANGERED OF PERCENTAGE NUMBER OF WHICH: OF NUMBER OFWHICH: OF

, with a limited geology and a 2 Amphibians Birds Reptiles Mammals TABLE 3.1: ANIMAL POPULATION STATISTICS – MAMMALS – BIRDS – REPTILES – AMPHIBIANS (DATA FOR 2002) – BIRDS – REPTILES – AMPHIBIANS (DATA – MAMMALS STATISTICS 3.1: ANIMAL POPULATION TABLE relatively homogenous topography offering a limited range of habitats, it is home to a wide array of species, many of which are endemic. biodiversity loss should be halted both in the Union and on a global scale. biodiversity loss should be Programme which was adopted in 2002 decreed, amongst other things, that Programme which was adopted Even though Malta is an archipelago of small islands covering not more than 316 km target in the area of biodiversity. been recognised by the EU which, through the 6 been recognised by the EU stance as its principal has similarly taken this Malta, being an EU member, biodiversity is thus a good indicator of its environmental health. This has biodiversity is thus a good areas which are still occupied by natural habitats. The state of a country’s areas which are still occupied Biodiversity is an essential component of the environment, especially in Biodiversity is an essential BIODIVERSITY CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER most recent statistics, if one were to add all the known terrestrial species, these would amount to 5,945; were the known freshwater and marine species to be added, this figure would rise to 6,241. , a flowering 6 A case in point is 7 Oxalis pes caprae Besides development, another threat to Human intervention has left a sizeable that of the biodiversity in Malta is the introduction of invasive alien species. These species which are introduced mostly for horticultural (47 per cent) and agricultural (23 per cent) purposes, pose a threat to indigenous species since they compete with them and, in certain cases, manage to overwhelm them. impact on the biodiversity of Malta. Suffice it to say that natural habitats occupy only 19 per cent of mainland Malta. The rest is covered by buildings, roads, quarries and agricultural land, which are landuses introduced by man to meet his socio-economic needs. This development also acts as an indirect threat since it fragments the remaining natural habitat, and thus makes the populations which live in these areas more prone to damages resulting from anthropogenic factors. SPECIES SPECIES SPECIES Mammals Birds Reptiles Amphibians Freshwater Species Marine Species Insecta Crustacea Mollusca Plants Vascular Mosses Lichens Macrofungi Algae ENDANGERED SPECIES IN MALTA CHART 3.1 7% 2% 2% 80% 110001100 1353003000000000 1301556806700004477 150 1 1 1 1 0.77 0.67 0 0 0 0 37 17 37 17 2962960000000 280952 280 952 2 7 2 7 0.71 0.74 2 9 2 9 10 26 10 26 1802 1802 2 2 0.111410 60 926 83 30 148 83 148 8.96 44 44 174 174 1% SPECIES INDIGENOUS SPECIES INDIGENOUS THREATENED SPECIES SPECIES SPECIES INDIGENOUS SPECIES INDIGENOUS THREATENED SPECIES SPECIES SPECIES INDIGENOUS SPECIES INDIGENOUS THREATENED SPECIES SPECIES OF KNOWN WHICH: ENDANGEREDWHICH: OF INDIGENOUS VULNERABLE INDIGENOUS DECLINING INDIGENOUS OF KNOWN WHICH: ENDANGEREDWHICH: OF INDIGENOUS VULNERABLE INDIGENOUS DECLINING INDIGENOUS OF KNOWN WHICH: ENDANGEREDWHICH: OF INDIGENOUS VULNERABLE INDIGENOUS DECLINING INDIGENOUS TOTAL NUMBERTOTAL OF TOTAL NUMBER OF ENDANGERED OF PERCENTAGE NUMBER OF WHICH: OF NUMBER OFWHICH: OF TOTAL NUMBERTOTAL OF TOTAL NUMBER OF ENDANGERED OF PERCENTAGE NUMBER OF WHICH: OF NUMBER OFWHICH: OF TOTAL NUMBERTOTAL OF TOTAL NUMBER OF ENDANGERED OF PERCENTAGE NUMBER OF WHICH: OF NUMBER OFWHICH: OF 4% 2% 1% Macrofungi Mosses Lichens Algae Vascular Plants Vascular TABLE 3.4: PLANT POPULATION STATISTICS – VASCULAR PLANTS – MOSSES – LICHENS – – VASCULAR STATISTICS POPULATION 3.4: PLANT TABLE FOR 2005) MACROFUNGI – ALGAE (DATA Insecta Crustacea Mollusca Marine Species (territorial species) FOR 2002) – MOLLUSCA (DATA – CRUSTACEA – INSECTA STATISTICS 3.3: ANIMAL POPULATION TABLE species TABLE 3.2: ANIMAL POPULATION STATISTICS – FRESHWATER SPECIES – MARINE SPECIES (DATA FOR 2002) FOR (DATA SPECIES – MARINE SPECIES – FRESHWATER STATISTICS POPULATION 3.2: ANIMAL TABLE Freshwater 1%

Environment Statistics 14 Biodiversity plant which was introduced in Malta Environment Statistics appositely in botanical gardens at the CHART 3.2 1% 1% beginning of the 19th century, and which 7% VULNERABLE has managed to invade the whole of the SPECIES IN MALTA Maltese countryside to the detriment of 8 indigenous species. 10% Mammals Exploitation of wildlife for economic, 37% Birds recreational or other purposes is another 15 Reptiles

major threat to Maltese biodiversity. Biodiversity Amphibians Examples of species which suffer due to Freshwater Species such exploitation are snails and sea 8% Marine Species urchins, which are collected since they are edible, tadpoles and frogs, which are Insecta 2% adopted as pets and birds, which are shot Crustacea at or else caught by trappers as a Mollusca pastime. Harvesting species from their Vascular Plants natural habitat may be particularly 1% Mosses threatening for those species which have 6% Lichens low reproduction rates or restricted 27% Macrofungi habitat expanse. Algae Tables 3.1 to 3.4 give an account of the amount of species that inhabit Malta according to the respective category. The most populated category is the Insecta 2% CHART 3.3 category with 1,802 different species. On 3% DECLINING the other hand, there is one species 4% 0% apiece of amphibians and freshwater 9% SPECIES IN MALTA species, both of which happen to be listed Mammals as vulnerable species. Birds The highest number of endangered Reptiles species is found in the Vascular Plants 34% Amphibians category. Of all species found in this category, 5.89 per cent are endangered. Freshwater Species Species diversity in this and other plant Marine Species categories has been on the decline since Insecta the early 1980s due to the increasing pace Crustacea of development which has altered or Mollusca obliterated certain habitats. Particularly Vascular Plants vulnerable habitats in this respect include 40% Mosses Lichens sand dunes, saline marshlands and 2% freshwater wetlands.9 Macrofungi 6% Besides having the highest number of Algae endangered species, vascular plants also have the highest amount of declining species which amount to 40.28 per cent of be the case, Malta can do little to arrest which is used in the national classification all declining species. A close second is the decline on its own, unless concrete of protected areas. Since certain sites are the Insects category with 34.26 per cent management efforts co-ordinated with classified under more than one of the total amount listed as declining other countries, particularly countries in designation, these sites are reported more (See Charts). the Mediterranean, are implemented.10 than once in the Table. However, if one Regarding the number of vulnerable In Malta, statutory protection of certain were to eliminate such double counting, species, these amount to a total of 163. areas such as bird sanctuaries, special the total number of sites which are The insects category has the greatest areas of conservation, areas/sites of afforded protection in Malta would amount of species which are vulnerable. ecological, scientific and geological amount to 101. These sites altogether However proportionately only 3.3 per cent importance and nature reserves, was cover an area of 56.21km2 which of insects are listed as vulnerable, as introduced in 1991 and 1992, by means of translates into 17.79 per cent of the total opposed to reptiles of which 80 per cent the Environment Protection Act and the land area of the country. are vulnerable, and freshwater species, Development Planning Act. Such Besides being classified as part of the the single exemplar of which is also protection is the best possible way to National Classification, these sites can considered as vulnerable. safeguard the biodiversity of the areas also be classified according to Marine species are the only group of which are the most ecologically sensitive international designations that fall under species which appear to be faring well in the country. the EU Habitats and Wild Birds Directives since no exemplar is listed as endangered, Table 3.5 and Chart 3.4 throw a light on and the Barcellona, Bern and Ramsar vulnerable or declining. However, The the degree of protection which natural Convention. A case in point is LN 257 of State of the Environment Report of 2005 habitats in Malta are afforded. The table 2003, which transposed the EU Habitats states that stocks of tuna and swordfish reports the number and area of sites that Directive into Maltese legislation and set are seemingly on the decline. Were this to are classified under each designation up the Special Areas of Conservation Areas Special Protection Such information 14 Bird Sanctuaries OCCUPIED BY DESIGNATION OCCUPIED PERCENTAGE OF LAND AREA PERCENTAGE These needs have to be addressed in would surely offer a sounder basis for more effective enforcement as well as for educational campaigns targeted at the whole spectrum of society. the near future, so that, through concrete action, the EU target of halting biodiversity loss by 2010 is reached successfully and within the stipulated timeframe. that ‘without such sound scientific information, effective initiatives to manage, conserve and exploit sustainably the living natural resources of the nation are futile and may actually be counterproductive’. Areas 2 Managed 2 Areas of Importance International Designation Schembri (2003), clearly states of 13 Conservation Special Areas While these figures are encouraging, Malta still has a lack of managed areas. The current four managed areas occupy only 0.16 per cent of the total land area, and make up 1.3 per cent and 1.7 per cent respectively. SACs and SPAs of Malta’s Management plans for other areas are currently in the pipeline; however one of the major constraints regarding the finalisation of such plans is the determination of land ownership. There also exists the need for wider and more natural accurate monitoring of Malta’s heritage through baseline and trend studies. 11 Site of Scientific Importance 12 Area of Ecological Importance

5 0

45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 Area/Km

PROTECTED AREAS ACCORDING TO DESIGNATION/KM PROTECTED AREAS ACCORDING CHART 3.4 2 In addition to the statutory protection of Nature ReserveSpecial Protection Areas Areas Designated Total 6 32 101 7.64 56.21 n/a 2.42 17.79 n/a Managed AreasBird Sanctuaries 4 26 0.52 16.94 0.16 5.36 Special Areas of Conservation ImportanceAreas of International 30 23 40.11 39.34 12.69 12.45 Area of Ecological ImportanceArea of Ecological ImportanceSite of Scientific 49 8 39.39 0.18 12.47 0.06 TABLE 3.5: PROTECTED AREAS ACCORDING TO CLASSIFICATION ADAPTED BY MEPA ADAPTED CLASSIFICATION TO ACCORDING AREAS 3.5: PROTECTED TABLE DESIGNATION NUMBER OF SITES AREA/KM (SAC) designation. On the other hand the Special Protection Areas (SPA) designation has been introduced under the EU Wild Birds Directive. Besides these designations, the 23 sites which are classified as Areas of International Importance are presently candidate sites for the EU Natura 2000 sites network. land, Maltese legislation has also afforded protection to various indigenous species which are of international importance. From 2002 to 2005 the proportion of protection of these species has increased from 61 per cent to 97 per cent.

Environment Statistics 16 Biodiversity Environment Statistics 17 Biodiversity CHART 3.5 CHART SOURCE MEPA AREAS IN MALTA 2005 IN MALTA AREAS PROTECTED AND MANAGED PROTECTED Schembri P. J. & Sultana J. (eds.). 1989. Red Data Book for the Maltese Islands, Malta: Department of Information. Schembri P. of Ecotone Seminar Series, is “The The definition of the term Ecotone, according to Davie J. (1997) in the Assessment Report defined by space and time scales zones transition between adjacent ecological systems, having a set of characteristics uniquely - and by strength of the interactions between them.” - http://www.unesco.or.id/activities/science/env_sci/eco_tone/91.php 03/05/2006 J. & Sultana J. (eds.). 1989. Red Data Book for the Maltese Islands, Malta: Department of Information. Schembri P. Floriana. (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2006. State of the Environment Report 2005, January 2006, MEPA, MEPA 1, Final Draft, March 2003, MEPA, Volume Paper, (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2003. Rural Strategy Topic MEPA Floriana. Floriana. (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2006. State of the Environment Report 2005, January 2006, MEPA, MEPA - 15/03/2006 http://www.maltawildplants.com/OXIL/Oxalis_pescarpes.html Floriana. (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2006. State of the Environment Report 2005, January 2006, MEPA, MEPA Floriana. (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2006. State of the Environment Report 2005, January 2006, MEPA, MEPA Floriana. (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2006. State of the Environment Report 2005, January 2006, MEPA, MEPA Floriana. (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2006. State of the Environment Report 2005, January 2006, MEPA, MEPA Floriana. (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2006. State of the Environment Report 2005, January 2006, MEPA, MEPA (Malta Environment and Planning J. 2003. ‘Current State of knowledge of Maltese non-marine fauna’. In MEPA Schembri P. Floriana. Authority). 20 03. Annual report 2003, MEPA, http://www.countdown2010.net/conventions/index.html - 14/03/2006 http://www.countdown2010.net/conventions/index.html 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 1. Protected Areas (Nature Reserves, Bird Sanctuaries, Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protected Areas, Sites of Scientific Importance) Areas of Ecological Importance Managed Areas 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. REFERENCES BLANK Environment Statistics 19 Population 2 2005LAND AREA OF THE ISLANDS IS 315.1535km 405,387 1,286.32 199619971998199920002001 381,4052002 384,1762003 386,3972004 388,759 391,415 394,641 1,210.22 397,296 1,219.01 399,867 1,226.06 402,668 1,233.55 1,241.98 1,252.22 1,260.64 1,268.80 1,277.69 TABLE 4.1: TOTAL POPULATION AND POPULATION DENSITY OF MALTA POPULATION AND POPULATION 4.1: TOTAL TABLE YEAR1990199119921993 POPULATION19941995 361,908 365,781 DENSITY POPULATION 369,455 373,161 376,433 378,404 1,148.35 1,160.64 1,172.30 1,184.06 1,194.44 1,200.70 1

This increase was not 2

Malta has one of the highest As shown in Table 4.1, from 1990 to As shown in Table and noxious by-products. The above statement holds especially true in the case of Malta. The small land area and relatively high population characterising the country create a situation where the human hand is heavily felt upon the environment. This impact has been gathering momentum II era, and is War since the post-World epitomised by the construction boom urban which helped to increase Malta’s area from 4 per cent of the total land area in 1956 to 23 per cent in 2005. of the unsustainable consumption of resources and the generation of waste of the unsustainable consumption force behind a wide range of environmental impacts, which occur as a result force behind a wide range Coupled with the country’s economic structure, population is the driving Coupled with the country’s POPULATION factor in the environmental impact equation. Population is an important CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER population densities in the world. constant, since prior to 1994, the annual population increase rate was above the 1 per cent mark per annum. from 1994 onwards, the However, highest ever population increase was that of 1994 (+0.88 per cent). From this year onwards, the rate of population increase fluctuated and averaged 0.69 per cent per annum, which is quite less than the average of 1.03 per cent experienced from 1991 to 1993. 2005, the Total Population living in 2005, the Total Malta increased by 43,479 or 12.01 per cent. CHART 4.2 CHART 4.1 CHART SOURCE MEPA SOURCE MEPA OF MALTA, 1985 OF MALTA, OF MALTA, 1995 OF MALTA, POPULATION DENSITY POPULATION POPULATION DENSITY POPULATION 0 to (24) 500 0 to 500 (17) 500 to 800 (5) 500 to 800 (7) 800 to 1,700 (10) 800 to 1,700 (12) 4,600 to 22,100 (15) 1,700 to 4,600 (12) 4,600 to 22,100 (15) 1,700 to 4,600 (36) 22,100 to 48,100 (1) 22,100 to 48,100 (0) Population Density 1985 – Nuts 5 PER SQ. KM. INHABITANTS Population Density 1995 – Nuts 5 PER SQ. KM. INHABITANTS

Environment Statistics 20 Population Environment Statistics 21 Population CHART 4.3 CHART SOURCE MEPA OF MALTA, 1967 OF MALTA, POPULATION DENSITY POPULATION Tourism plays a pivotal role in Malta’s Tourism From 1996 to 2000 tourist The increase in tourist economy, since it is a major foreign economy, This importance is exchange earner. testified to by the high number of tourists visiting Malta as compared to the total resident population. From 1996 to 2005, the animal number of tourists per 100 inhabitants averaged 293.5. The highest figure of tourists per 100 inhabitants was recorded in 1999 (312.3), while the lowest was in 1996 (276.3). arrivals/departures registered an average increase of 3.67 per cent per annum. However owing to the worldwide decline in tourism after the September 11th attacks on the US, the number of tourists visiting Malta fell as numbers reached rock well. Tourist bottom in 2003, when the number of tourist arrivals/departures was 8.02 per cent less than that recorded for 2000. From 2003 onwards, tourist numbers began to rise again. Although they have not yet reached the number recorded for 2000, tourist arrivals/departures in 2005 were up by 4.69 per cent when compared to 2003. arrivals/departures is generally seen as economy. beneficial to the country’s In the sister island of Gozo, population The rest of the country also bears its conurbation lies. This has occurred as a result of population increase and because of migration from the inner harbour areas, where certain localities have seen a decline in their population density. density is high only in the centre of the island where the major town of Victoria is situated. Comino, the smallest island in the archipelago, is practically uninhabited. The population density pattern of Malta gives a clear indication of the areas which are under the greatest environmental pressure. In fact the central and eastern areas of Malta are the most extensively built-up and polluted areas of the country since, in these areas, the majority of residential and industrial developments are located. As a consequence traffic, with its associated health and environmental problems, is also concentrated in these areas. share of environmental ills, mostly arising from the requirements of the more densely inhabited areas. Prime examples of these environmental problems include the closed down official landfills (dumps), quarries and sewage outfalls. This high population 3 0 to 500 (30) 500 to 800 (6) 800 to 1,700 (9) to 1,700 800 4,600 to 22,100 (13) (8) to 4,600 1,700 22,100 to 48,100 (1) The three population density maps shown in this chapter refer to the census years of 1967, 1985 and 1995. These population maps show that Malta’s density is not uniform over the whole There exists a terrain of the country. marked difference between the high density localities that encircle the harbour area, and the low density localities which lie to the North and From 1967 to 1995, the number of West. higher density localities has been on the increase in the central and eastern parts where the harbour of the country, density figure is an indication that the pressure on environmental resources in Malta is high. From 1990 to 2005, Maltese population density increased in tandem with population figures, given the fact that the land area of Malta remained approximately constant throughout the period reviewed. Compared to the average of the EU25 in 2003 (117.5 persons per square kilometre), Malta had a population density which was 10.8 times greater. There is no country in the EU25 that has a population density figure close to that of Malta. The Netherlands, which has the second highest population density in the EU, only has 480.3 inhabitants per square kilometre. Population Density 1967 – Nuts 5 PER SQ. KM. INHABITANTS From 1996 to 2005, population density not be misled by the difference between the population and the tourist density, since tourists only spend a limited number of days in the country while the population is resident throughout the Nevertheless, this figure is useful year. since it gives an indication of the pressure exerted by tourism on the resources. country’s has shown a slow but steady increase, 4 Chart 4.4 shows how the population generated waste. It is estimated that on average, tourists produce more waste and consume land, water and energy resources at a rate which is1.5 times more than that of locals. density and tourist density have varied over the period from 1996 to 2005. The tourist density is calculated as the number of tourists per year divided by One must the land area of the country. 2 /000’S /000’S 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 950.0 1,100.0 1,050.0 1,000.0 1,250.0 1,200.0 1,150.0

TOURIST ARRIVALS/DEPARTURES MALTA 1996-2005 MALTA ARRIVALS/DEPARTURES TOURIST CHART 4.4 CHART Tourists/000's LAND AREA OF THE MALTESE ISLANDS IS 315.1535km LAND AREA OF THE MALTESE 20042005 402.7 405.4 1,157.7 1,170.6 1277.7 1286.3 3673.4 3714.4 20022003 397.3 399.9 1,132.3 1,118.2 1260.6 1268.8 3592.9 3548.1 20002001 391.4 394.6 1,215.7 1,180.8 1242.0 1252.2 3857.5 3746.7 19981999 386.4 388.8 1,182.2 1,214.2 1226.1 1233.6 3751.2 3852.7 19961997 381.4 384.2 1,053.8 1,111.2 1210.2 1219.0 3343.8 3525.9 TABLE 4.2: TOURISTS/100 INHABITANTS IN MALTA 4.2: TOURISTS/100 INHABITANTS TABLE YEAR POPULATION TOURIST ARRIVALS/DEPARTURES DENSITY POPULATION TOURIST DENSITY However, in environmental terms, the However, massive increase in population which Malta experiences especially in summer, means further pressure upon the increases the environment. Tourism demand for development on scenic or coastal land, heightens pressure on the countryside, beaches and heritage sites, places greater demands on the country’s infrastructure, water resources and energy, and boosts the amounts of pollution and

Environment Statistics 22 Population Environment Statistics 23 Population According to State of the Environment Report 2005, 23% of all dwellings in Malta are vacant. Population includes The Total both the Maltese and Foreign residents of Malta. This is a 2003 figure. Source: http://epp.eurostat.cec.eu.int State of the Environment Report, 2005. REFERENCES 1. 2. 3. 4. Population density density Tourist 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 0.0

500.0

4500.0 4000.0 3500.0 3000.0 2500.0 2000.0 1500.0 1000.0 Population / Tourists per km per Tourists / Population

POPULATION DENSITY VS TOURIST DENSITY 1996-2005 TOURIST DENSITY DENSITY VS POPULATION CHART 4.5 CHART 2 Population projections for Malta indicate that up to 2010, population will continue to Population projections for Malta indicate that increase; however by 2015, a decline is liable to set in as a result of decreasing birth increase; however by 2015, a decline is liable tourist numbers for the future is a more rates and stabilising death rates. Projecting industry that is affected by a number risky business because tourism is a highly volatile of factors such as international conflicts, political crises, natural disasters, health issues and the development of new competing resorts. However figures seem to indicate that the number of tourists visiting Malta is approaching its stabilisation level. Thus it is likely that Malta is currently approaching its peak population pressure, which is set to stabilise or even decline in the near future. Conjoined with policies leading to environment-friendly consumption patterns, this would surely be a beneficial step towards sustainable development for Malta. while tourist density has fluctuated according to tourist arrivals/departures, reaching a while tourist density has fluctuated according are more evident than the increase in peak in 2000. The fluctuations in tourist density in tourism are greater than those of the since the numbers involved population density, effect of population and tourist density population. Chart 4.5 implies that the cumulative was greatest in 1999 and 2000 and upon the environment in the time span 1996-2005 numbers were at their lowest. lowest in 1996, when both population and tourist BLANK Environment Statistics 25 Water ; a figure which would 3 Since the actual evapotranspiration The same applies to the total translate into 491.18mm. (63 per cent of the precipitation) and the total actual outflow (6 per cent of the precipitation), which is the runoff, are dependent on the precipitation, both fluctuate accordingly. freshwater resources, since this figure is years, this would amount to 155.21 million m , 3 and was recorded in 3 The pressure on water resources while the highest precipitation amounted to 286.84 million m 2003. Were an average precipitation 2003. Were figure to be calculated for these eleven fluctuates from one year to another. The fluctuates from one year to another. crucial factor in this fluctuation pattern is the unreliable annual rainfall, as 5.1. From 1995 to clearly shown in Table 2005, the lowest precipitation was recorded in 1998 with 73.68 million m 0.009.74 0.009.74 7.40 0.00 10.46 7.40 0.000.00 4.42 10.46 0.00 0.00 11.23 4.42 0.00 8.57 0.00 11.23 0.00 8.57 6.47 0.00 0.00 6.47 8.61 0.00 0.00 17.21 8.61 0.00 0.00 8.75 17.21 0.00 0.00 8.75 9.59 0.00 9.59 0.00 0.00 0.00 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 60.05 45.62 64.52 27.26 69.24 52.82 39.91 53.1060.05 106.13 45.62 53.95 64.5220.19 59.12 27.26 21.09 69.24 20.04 52.82 17.89 39.91 18.56 53.10 18.34 106.13 16.13 53.95 16.28 59.12 15.20 14.89 13.99 162.31 123.30102.25 174.37 77.68 73.68 109.85 187.14 46.42 142.75 107.87 117.90 143.51 89.93 286.84 67.96 145.81 159.78 90.41 180.71 91.86 100.66 3

FIGURES ARE IN MILLION m Total freshwater resources Total for annual abstraction into neighbouring territories Total Actual Outflow Total Actual Outflow: into the sea Actual Outflow: Groundwater available Actual Evapotranspiration Internal Flow Actual External Inflow Precipitation TABLE 5.1: FRESH WATER RESOURCES 5.1: FRESH WATER TABLE population density. scarce resource, primarily due to the low input from rainfall and to the high scarce resource, primarily Figures tend to conceal the fact that pressure on water resources in Malta is This greater in summer than in winter. pressure arises from the seasonal nature of rainfall which is concentrated in the winter months, coupled with the considerably higher temperatures experienced during the summer months. The situation is further exacerbated by the increased tourist numbers during the summer season. prerequisite for the sound development of any country. In Malta, water is a In Malta, water development of any country. prerequisite for the sound Water is an invaluable resource, and its reliable supply is the quintessential invaluable resource, and its reliable supply is the is an Water WATER CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 1 CHART 5.1 CHART SOURCE MRA 2 GROUND WATER GROUND BODIES OF MALTA BODIES DISTRIBUTION OF THE DISTRIBUTION From Table 5.2 it can be seen that From Table total water production rose by 5.04 per Nowadays Malta’s water supply is Nowadays Malta’s produced by means of boreholes and pumping stations which provide groundwater together with three reverse osmosis plants which provide desalinated water. were introduced to alleviate the problem of groundwater overexploitation. Up to the 1960s, groundwater groundwater and desalination. Chart 5.1 shows the geographical distribution of the ground water resources in the islands. provided practically the entire water by the However, supply of the country. 1980s, the picture had changed radically, since new desalination technologies such as distillation and reverse osmosis n/a 0.12 0.42 0.37 0.42 0.19 0.25 0.09 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 1985 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 26.94 20.1922.30 21.09 31.41 20.0449.24 26.81 17.89 51.72 23.27 18.5654.16 48.32 21.53 18.34 60.05 43.68 18.55 16.13 45.62 39.84 16.55 16.2849.74 64.52 37.30 17.39 15.20 33.82 27.26 35.14 17.73 14.89 47.15 69.24 33.61 18.97 13.99 31.64 52.82 34.05 17.89 67.17 39.91 34.17 17.05 27.08 53.10 32.78 35.20 106.13 31.04 53.95 40.64 59.12 30.73 14.32 27.60 23.66 3 of water, and most abundant of water, . 3 3 In Malta, the public water supply is FIGURES ARE IN MILLION m resources/% of Water resources Total Desalinated Total water Production Total freshwater Total Exploitation index of freshwater Water Abstraction Water Abstraction Water Total Fresh Ground Total TABLE 5.2: ANNUAL WATER PRODUCTION 1985-2005 5.2: ANNUAL WATER TABLE Total Fresh Surface Total calculated by subtracting the evapotranspiration from the precipitation. Thus it can be seen that from 1995 to 2005, freshwater resources were least abundant in 1998, with 27.26 million m in 2003, when these amounted to 106.13 million m supplied by two major sources:

Environment Statistics 26 Water Environment Statistics 27 Water Agriculture, forestry, fishing Agriculture, forestry, All Industrial Activities Households Other Activities Total Fresh Ground Abstraction Total Desalinated water Total Abstraction Fresh Surface Water Total 1985 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 0.00

0.00 5.00 60.00 50.00 40.00 30.00 20.00 10.00

10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00

million m million million m million 1995-2005 CATEGORY BY SUPPLY USE WATER WATER PRODUCTION BY SOURCE 1985-2005 PRODUCTION WATER CHART 5.3 CHART 5.2 CHART

3 3 Table 5.4 shows Table 4 9.98 10.6 8.05 6.7 24.07 23.57 24.73 24.34 From Table 5.3 and Chart 5.3, it can From Table This decrease in water production is how the actual leakages, which have been calculated from end-of-month readings, were reduced from 2002 to 2005. The leakage amount of 2005 stood customers are charged for their water use according to their water meter consumers in reality, readings. However, utilise more water than that which ends up being reported by the billing process. These differences are due to water theft, billing anomalies, wrong estimations and Furthermore, meter under-registration. not all the water produced is utilised by consumers, since a sizeable proportion of water production is siphoned off in leakages throughout the water distribution infrastructure. be clearly seen that in the 1995-2005 period, 1997 was the year during which billed consumption was highest. After several years of fluctuating levels in billed consumption this had by 2005, gone down by an average of 12.85 per cent over the 1995 amount, from the peak reached in 1997. It must also be noted however that from 1997 to 2005, water production fell by an average of 18.20 per cent over the initial amount. the result of leakage reduction from the distribution network. The exploitation index of freshwater 5.3, the figures for the total In Table from this source reached a peak in 1996 and 1998; however by 2003, springwater production ground to a halt. As Chart 5.2 shows, even at the peak of production, the contribution of springs to the annual water production was trivial. In 1998, total fresh surface water contributed just 1.05 per cent of the total production of The corresponding proportion for water. 1996 was 0.87 per cent. resources is a measure of the relative pressure of production on conventional renewable water resources. This index is basically dependent on the amount of precipitation which recharges the aquifers on the one hand, and the amount of water production from surface water and groundwater on For example in 1998, when the other. precipitation was scant (less than half the average calculated from 1995 to 2005), the exploitation index peaked at 67.17 per cent, even though groundwater production was down by 10.73 per cent from the previous year. public water supply are the actual figures of water produced by the Water Services Corporation (WSC). The other figures are based on the billing system adapted by the WSC, whereby 2.00 1.914.66 1.33 3.88 1.23 4.35 1.14 4.22 1.74 3.71 1.33 4.47 0.98 4.09 1.13 4.43 0.85 4.40 0.89 3.87 3.54 0.61 0.97 1.33 1.07 1.25 0.94 1.14 0.89 0.82 0.98 0.64 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 51.72 48.3232.47 43.68 28.48 39.84 22.67 37.30 22.59 35.14 19.88 33.61 16.40 34.05 15.61 34.17 15.44 32.78 15.20 31.04 14.24 14.79 11.98 13.08 14.0019.25 10.73 19.84 11.32 21.01 11.59 17.25 11.44 17.42 12.31 18.74 12.62 18.00 12.84 18.61 11.18 18.97 18.54 16.25 51.72 48.32 43.68 39.84 37.30 35.14 33.61 34.05 34.17 32.78 31.04 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 3 3 3 The production of both groundwater This decrease in water production is The total fresh surface water Percentage of Population Percentage to Public Connected FIGURES ARE IN MILLION m for end users Total Apparent Water Losses Apparent Water Total Losses Actual Water Total TABLE 5.4: WATER LOSSES 1995-2005 LOSSES 5.4: WATER TABLE Production Water Total FIGURES ARE IN MILLION m Other Activities of All Activities Total water available Total All Industrial Activities Households of which used for: fishing Agriculture, forestry, Water Supply Water TABLE 5.3: WATER USE BY SUPPLY CATEGORY 1995-2005 CATEGORY BY SUPPLY USE 5.3: WATER TABLE Supply Public Water Total cent from 1985 to 1995. However this trend was reversed and thus, a constant decrease has been registered from 1995 production for 2001 to 2001. Water decreased by 35.02 per cent over the amount recorded in 1995. By 2003, total water production had increased by 1.67 per cent, only to fall again by 9.16 per cent by 2005. On average, from 1985 to 2005, total water production fell by 20.31 per cent over the initial amount. and desalinated water has decreased However during the period under review. the fall in production was greater for groundwater than for desalinated water. From 1985 to 2005, the production of groundwater decreased by an average of 32.07 per cent, while the production of desalinated water decreased by only 6.77 per cent over the initial amount. seen as highly beneficial in environ- mental terms, since it relieves pressure on the groundwater resource and reduces the demand for electricity which, in Malta, is exclusively produced from fossil fuel combustion. abstraction comprises water that is tapped from springs that originate from Production the islands’ perched aquifer.

Environment Statistics 28 Water Environment Statistics 29 Water om/pdf/b07/93400010.pdf http://ressources.ciheam.org/ WSC Annual Report 2005 The MDS, which forms part of the WSC, and is responsible for the desalination process, is the largest consumer of electricity in the Maltese Islands and. From August 2004 to July 2005, it consumed more than 100 million units of electricity (WSC Annual Report, 2005). WSC Annual Report 2005 State of the Environment Report, 2005, p. REFERENCES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Water Unaccounted for by the Billing System Unaccounted Water for by the Billing System Accounted Water Losses Actual Water Total , 5 The This statement highlights the The figures which have been State of the Environment Report 2005 importance which must be given to enforcement in this sector so that groundwater resource is Malta’s accorded the protection that is commensurate to its importance vis-à-vis the local environment and the national economy. “Groundwater remains Malta’s single “Groundwater remains Malta’s most important freshwater resource, estimated at 56% of total production, over half of which is estimated to occur through (largely unauthorized) private groundwater abstraction”. presented in this chapter describe the operations of the WSC. These figures show encouraging trends in environmental terms, since the pressure on groundwater is being to a certain extent relieved, and the consumption of electricity to generate reduced. However, desalinated water, these figures do not include water which is extracted illegally from the islands’ aquifers. According to a practice that is likely to have a counter effect on water conservation practices, since a good proportion of this valuable resource ends up being used for free. . 3 2002 2003 2004 2005 5 0

40 35 30 25 20 15 10

WATER LOSSES 2002-2005 WATER m million CHART 5.4 CHART 3 Table 5.4 also shows how high the Table Since water which is not accounted Over the past four years (as shown at 32.87 per cent less than the amount of 2002. In 2003, leakages increased by 6.21 per cent over those recorded in the previous year. apparent water losses are. Apparent water losses include both the actual leakages from the distribution infrastructure as well as the water being consumed but which is unaccounted for due to inaccuracies in the billing system. for is being used by consumers, the total water available for end users is the result of the total water production minus the total actual water losses. From 2002 to 2005, it can be seen that the total water available for end users has remained roughly stable, the difference between the highest and lowest value being only 1.16 million m in Table 5.4), even though total actual in Table water losses have seen an overall decline, water which is consumed but is unaccounted for by the billing system has seen an average increase of 11.45 per cent over the 2002 amount. This figure is of particular concern, as all this water is being used up by consumers but not being paid for; BLANK Environment Statistics 31 Bathing Water Quality SITES CLASS CLASS CLASS SITES CLASS CLASS CLASS DTOTAL 2323230 87 87 84 0 DTOTAL SITES ACCORDING WATER OF BATHING 6.2: CLASSIFICATION TABLE 2323210 TO THE EU CRITERIA: 2001 ZONE 96ABC 90 NO. OF 1717150 GREEN 80 1515140 3232320 BLUE 6 RED TABLE 6.1: CLASSIFICATION OF BATHING WATER SITES ACCORDING WATER OF BATHING 6.1: CLASSIFICATION TABLE TO THE EU CRITERIA: 2000 ZONEABC NO. OF 1916123 GREEN 1615141 3836332 BLUE RED

Routine tests are carried out on The following classification is based parameters (Appendix 2). Bathing Water Directive criteria also include physical and chemical Directive criteria also Bathing Water samples collected from official bathing sites around Malta during the official bathing season, when pressures on bathing areas are high as a result of tourist influxes. This period starts from the third week of May and ends in the third week of October. only on the monitoring of microbiological parameters. Green includes those sites that conform to the Mandatory values while Blue includes those sites that have conformed to both the Mandatory and Guideline values. Red refers to those sites that do not comply with the Mandatory values. Mandatory values are based on routine sampling of the two based solely on microbiological parameters (Appendix 1). In addition, the EU based solely on microbiological Microbiological parameters in a number of official bathing sites are monitored with different frequencies and analyses by the Public Health Laboratory Services, within the Department of Public Health. The Environment Protection Directorate within the Malta Environment and Planning Authority carries out monitoring of physico-chemical parameters. adopted in 1985 by the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention are adopted in 1985 by the Contracting 380 of 2003 which transposes EU Directive 76/160/EEC. The interim criteria 380 of 2003 which transposes bathing-water-quality monitoring. These obligations are stipulated under L.N. monitoring. These obligations bathing-water-quality Barcelona Convention Malta is required to perform ongoing programmes of Barcelona Convention Malta As a Member State of the European Union and as a Contracting Party to the As a Member State of the QUALITY BATHING WATER BATHING CHAPTER 6 CHAPTER OF SAMPLES Zone A refers to sampling sites in Zone A refers in Blue Quality Symbol: beaches Green Quality Symbol: beaches where Red Quality Symbol: beaches from From a total of 96 sampling sites in The following Appendices reflect the main microbiological parameters (Faecal parameters microbiological main Guideline coliforms). and Total coliforms based on the three values are parameters (Faecal microbiological Faecal coliforms and coliforms, Total Streptococci). Central Malta, South Malta, Zone B in and Zone D in Zone C in North Malta, assessment is Gozo and Comino. An following quality made according to the the European criteria established by Commission: value compliance with the imperative to the stricter and that also conform of 80 per guideline values at a level total and faecal cent for the parameters coliform and 90 per cent for other parameters. 95 per cent of the samples taken are in conformity with the imperative values in the Directive. where the samples taken are not in conformity with the parametric values. the year 2000, 83.3 per cent conformed to both the Mandatory and Guideline values, while 93.8 per cent conformed Six sites, or to Mandatory values only. 6.25 per cent, did not conform to the parametric values. In the years 2001, 2003 and 2004, all 87 sampling sites conformed to Mandatory values only, and 84 samples, or 96.6 per cent, conformed to the Mandatory and Guideline values. In 2002, all 87 sampling sites conformed to Mandatory and 86 samples conformed values only, to the Mandatory and Guideline values. In 2005, from a total of 87 sampling sites, all conformed only to the Mandatory values, and 86.2 per cent conformed to the Mandatory and Guideline values. There were no sites that were non-compliant with the Mandatory values from 2001 to 2005. Classifications of Bathing Water according to the Barcelona Convention Directive. “G” and the EU Water represents Guideline values and “I” represents Mandatory values. in 50 % of the time the time in 90 % of Not to be exceeded Not to be excedded SITES CLASS CLASS CLASS SITES CLASS CLASS CLASS SITES CLASS CLASS CLASS SITES CLASS CLASS CLASS DTOTAL 2323220 87 87 84 0 BC 1515150 3232310 ZONEA NO. OF 1717160 GREEN BLUE RED TABLE 6.4: CLASSIFICATION OF BATHING WATER SITES ACCORDING WATER OF BATHING 6.4: CLASSIFICATION TABLE 2003 TO THE EU CRITERIA: BCDTOTAL 1515150 3232310 2323230 87 87 86 0 A 1717170 TABLE 6.3: CLASSIFICATION OF BATHING WATER SITES ACCORDING SITES WATER OF BATHING 6.3: CLASSIFICATION TABLE CRITERIA: 2002 TO THE EU ZONE NO. OF GREEN BLUE RED PARAMETER CONVENTION PER 100ML MINIMUM NUMBER APPENDIX 1: MEDITERRANEAN INTERIM CRITERIA FOR BATHING WATERS ADOPTED BY THE CONTRACTING WATERS APPENDIX 1: MEDITERRANEAN INTERIM CRITERIA FOR BATHING TO THE BARCELONA CONVENTION IN 1985 PARTIES Faecal Coliforms 100 per 100 ml per 100 ml 1,000 10 CDTOTAL 3232290 2323210 87 87 75 0 AB 1717140 1515110 ZONE NO. OF GREEN BLUE RED TABLE 6.6: CLASSIFICATION OF BATHING WATER SITES ACCORDING WATER OF BATHING 6.6: CLASSIFICATION TABLE TO THE EU CRITERIA: 2005 DTOTAL 2323230 87 87 84 0 ABC 1717140 1515150 3232310 ZONE NO. OF GREEN BLUE RED TABLE 6.5: CLASSIFICATION OF BATHING WATER SITES ACCORDING WATER OF BATHING 6.5: CLASSIFICATION TABLE TO THE EU CRITERIA: 2004

Environment Statistics 32 Bathing Water Quality Environment Statistics 33 Bathing Water Quality or centrifuging and confirmation. spectrophotometry 4-aminoantipyrine (4 AAP) method. suspect colonies Inoculation on a standard medium. Enrichment – subculturing on isolating agar – identification. pH 7 and 9 coliforms are being investigated. MPN (most probable number) or filtration on membrane. Culture on an appropriate medium. Fermentation in multiple tubes. Subculturing of the positive tubes on a confirmation medium. Count according to MPN (most probable number) or membrane filtration and culture on an appropriate lactose agar, medium such as Tergitol broth, 0,4 % Teepol endo agar, subculturing and identification of the Subculturing of the positive tubes Subculturing of the positive Count on a confirmation medium. probable according to MPN (most filtration and number) or membrane medium culture on an appropriate endo lactose agar, such as Tergitol broth, subculturing % Teepol 0,4 agar, suspect and identification of the 1 and 2, the colonies. In the case of is variable incubation temperature according to whether total or faecal FREQUENCY SAMPLING INSPECTION 0,005 (2) р change incolour (0) standards on the Pt.Co scale. on the surfaceof the waterand no odour adequate volume extraction using an and weighing the dry residue. 0,005 0,3 –0,3 – (2) (2) р р р – – (2) OH odour odour due to phenol or absorption 5 H 5 substances reacting(lauryl-with methyleneblue sulfate) (phenol indices) C spectrophotometry with methylene blue. 1 PHYSICO-CHEMICAL MICROBIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS G I MINIMUM AND METHOD OF ANALYSIS 4 Salmonella/115 Entero viruses PFU/10 – – 07 Colour 0 (2) (2) – Concentration by membrane filtration. No abnormal Concentrating by filtration flocculation Fortnightly (1) inspection or photometry with Visual 9 Surface-active mg/1 –10 Phenols mg/1 foam No lasting Fortnightly (1) – inspection or absorption Visual No specific Fortnightly (1) of the absence of specific Verification 8 Mineral oils mg/1 – No film visible Fortnightly (1) inspection or and olfactory Visual 23coliforms/100ml Faecal streptococci/100ml Faecal 100 100 2000 – Fortnightly (1) (2) Litsky method. Count according to APPENDIX2: EU BATHING WATER QUALITY DIRECTIVE (76/160/EEC) ANNEX 1 ANNEX (76/160/EEC) DIRECTIVE QUALITY WATER BATHING EU APPENDIX2: WATER BATHING FOR QUALITY REQUIREMENTS 6 pH – 6 to9(0) (2) at Electrometry with calibration 1 coliforms/100 ml Total 500 10,000 Fortnightly (1) Fermentation in multiple tubes. Environment Statistics APPENDIX2: EU BATHING WATER QUALITY DIRECTIVE (76/160/EEC) ANNEX 1 QUALITY REQUIREMENTS FOR BATHING WATER PARAMETERS G I MINIMUM METHOD OF ANALYSIS AND SAMPLING INSPECTION FREQUENCY PHYSICO-CHEMICAL 34 11 Transparency m 2 1(0) Fortnightly (1) Secchi’s disc. Bathing Water Quality 12 Dissolved oxygen % 80 to 120 – 2 Winkler's method or electro-metric

saturation O2 method (oxygen meter). 13 Tarry residues and floating Absence Fortnightly (1) Visual inspection. materials such as wood, plastic articles, bottles, containers of glass, plastic, rubber or any other substance. Waste or splinters.

14 Ammonia mg/1 NH4 (3) Absorption spectrophotometry, Nessler’s method or indophenol blue method. 15 Nitrogen Kjeldahl mg/1 N (3) Kjeldahl method. OTHER SUBSTANCES REGARDED AS INDICATIONS OF POLLUTION 16 Pesticides mg/1 (2) Extraction with appropriate solvents (parathion, HCH, diedrin) and chromatographic determination 17 Heavy metals such as: (2) Atomic absorption possibly preceded – arsenic mg/1 As by extraction – cadmiuim Cd – chrome VI Cr VI – lead Pb – mercury Hg 18 Cyanides mg/1 Cn (2) Absorption spectrophotometry using a specific reagent

19 Nitrates and mg/1 NO3 (3) Absorption spectrophotometry using

Phosphates PO4 a specific reagent

SOURCES Department of Public Health, 2000-2004 Bathing Water Quality Reports; Charles Bonnici, 2005 Raw Data

“0” Provision exists for exceeding the 2 and when no new factor likely to lower that the substance may be present or limits in the event of exceptional the quality of the water has appeared, that the quality of the water has geographical or meteorological the competent authorities may reduce the deteriorated. conditions. sampling frequency by factor 2. “3” These parameters must be “1” When sampling taken in previous “2” Concentration to be checked by checked by the competent authorities years produced criteria which are the competent authorities when an when there is a tendency towards the appreciably better than those in Appendix inspection in the bathing area shows eutrophication of the water. Environment Statistics 35 Waste This 1 The amount of construction waste generated in 2005 decreased by 96.23 per cent when compared to the amount generated in 2002. This did not come about because of increased efficiency or a reduction in economic activity associated with construction. It was the result of a change of practice in waste management. From 2003 onwards, inert average share of the waste stream was of 12.72 per cent. Only in 2002 was the share of municipal waste superseded by that of construction waste. In that year, the share of municipal waste amounted to 12.73 per cent, while that of construction waste was 15.49 per cent. from 2003 onwards, the share However, of construction waste began to dwindle. 5.05 6.40 7.66 7.06 8.18 8.92 10.86 17.32 24.90 21.66 12.67 17.92 17.27 24.96 31.3210.71 26.53 7.37 25.80 13.85 25.60 9.29 28.52 7.80 24.62 3.61 19.07 0.19 822.39133.99 1,068.91 152.93 799.44166.86 190.26 1,094.85 178.91 1,167.13 247.97 2,187.78 193.22 171.81 1,196.31 203.77 28.17 215.77 9.36 225.91 228.35 2

After mining and quarrying, municipal Total amount of Primary Total FIGURES ARE IN 1000 TONNES Other Sectors generatedWaste 1,187.64 1,465.95 1,251.89 1,601.21 1,617.13 2,496.28 1,489.10 Sewage and refuse disposal Municipal waste Construction Manufacturing industries Agriculture and Forestry Mining and Quarrying TABLE 7.1: GENERATION OF WASTE BY SECTOR 1999-2005 OF WASTE 7.1: GENERATION TABLE SECTOR 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 treated at the major waste management facilities. treated at the major waste idea of this figure can be derived from records of waste which is disposed of or idea of this figure can be derived does not have a system of collecting data on waste generation; however a clear does not have a system of the islands’ development and increasing consumerist trends. At present Malta the islands’ development and the ever increasing amounts of waste which are being generated as a result of the ever increasing amounts situation has resulted due to poor waste management practices coupled with situation has resulted due Table 7.1 and Chart 7.1 show that by far Table the greatest proportion of waste is generated by mining and quarrying. On average from 1999 to 2005, mining and quarrying contributed 75.04 per cent of the total waste stream. past 5 to 7 years, become Malta’s most pressing environmental problem.” most pressing environmental Malta’s past 5 to 7 years, become Report, 2002 states that “Waste Management (or the lack of it), has, over the Management (or the lack of it), Report, 2002 states that “Waste WASTE environmental concern. The State of the Environment In Malta waste is a prime CHAPTER 7 CHAPTER waste is the next major contributor to the waste stream. From 1999 to 2005, its Other Sectors Agriculture and Forestry Mining and Quarrying Construction Manufacturing industries Sewage and refuse disposal Municipal waste Other Sectors WASTE GENERATION WASTE (AVERAGE IN MALTA PROPORTIONS) 1999-2005 CHART 7.1 CHART In addition to these amounts of waste

other hand, sectors which showed an average decrease were construction waste (-0.37 per cent), manufacturing industry waste (-17.23 per cent) and sewage and refuse disposal (-29.55 per cent). However these decreases were more than offset by the increases in the remaining sectors. On average, waste generation increased by 33.63 per cent between 1999 and 2005. that are disposed of or treated in legally registered sites, there is a considerable amount of waste that is disposed of 0.49% 1.23% On the 3 12.72% Sewage and refuse disposal Municipal waste 75.04% 0.48% 8.41% 1.63% Notable also, due to the amounts waste reached a peak (the amount for 2004 was 166.03 per cent higher than that for 1999) which greatly inflated the figure for total waste generated during when compared to the other that year, years referred to. involved, is the increase in municipal waste, which, on average, increased by 20.96 per cent over the initial amount in Other increases the period under review. were registered for agriculture and forestry waste (+53.07 per cent) and the other sectors (+12.75 per cent). Construction Manufacturing industries 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 0.00 500.00 3,000.00 2,500.00 2,000.00 1,500.00 1,000.00

WASTE GENERATION IN MALTA 1999-2005 IN MALTA GENERATION WASTE CHART 7.2 tonnes Waste/000 Agriculture and Forestry Mining and Quarrying Another sharp downturn in figures Another sharp downturn Regarding waste streams which waste began to be disposed of in disposed began to be waste type of Since this quarries. disused and both construction waste includes were both categories quarrying waste, only The a single category. recorded as is being recorded as waste that utilised waste is that being construction landfill, Malta’s Zwejra within Ta’ in May 2004. engineered facility opened to the change in which may be attributed is that waste management practice and refuse associated with sewage to the amount disposal. When compared and refuse generated in 2002, sewage by 97.95 per disposal in 2005 decreased and slurry were sludge cent. Previously, state, while from disposed of in a liquid 2004 onwards, only the solid part of this waste stream began to be disposed of, as the liquid part was removed by natural evaporation. registered an increase, the most notable increase was that of mining and quarrying waste. On average, from 1999 to 2005, this increased by 44.82 per cent over the initial amount. However this increase was not uniform, since in 2001, mining and quarrying waste actually experienced a decline that was below the amount registered for 1999 (-2.79 per cent), while the amount recorded for 2005 was below that recorded for 2004. mining and quarrying In the latter year,

Environment Statistics 36 Waste Environment Statistics 37 Waste 0.030.030.02 0.16 0.24 0.08 0.27 0.49 0.13 0.16 0.96 1.76 0000 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 28.19 40.85 41.83 38.39 49.54 51.33 50.09 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 166.86 178.91 193.22 203.77 215.77 225.91 228.35 Separate collection: Amount Total FIGURES ARE IN 1000 TONNES Metals Bulky Waste 28.19 40.85 41.83 38.39 49.38 52.36 48.33 Plastics Glass of which paperboard, Paper, paper products 0.08 0.48 0.86 TABLE 7.3: SEPARATE COLLECTION OF WASTE FRACTIONS IN MALTA 1999-2005 FRACTIONS IN MALTA COLLECTION OF WASTE 7.3: SEPARATE TABLE Municipal waste Municipal collection services FIGURES ARE IN 1000 TONNES waste fractions % of Population served by municipal waste Collection of bulky waste by Type Municipal Waste of Collection: Separate collection of 28.19 40.85 41.83 38.39 49.38 50.36 48.33 Traditional collectionTraditional by Type Municipal Waste of Collection: 103.29 103.65 113.17 134.84 133.81 133.91 144.57 Other by Type Municipal Waste of Collection: 35.37 34.41 38.22 30.53 32.58 41.64 35.45 Bulky Waste by Type Municipal Waste of Waste: 28.19 40.85 41.83 38.39 49.38 50.36 48.33 Household and Similar Waste by Type Municipal Waste 103.29of Waste: 103.65 113.17 134.84 133.806 133.91 144.57 Yard Waste, Litter Containers, etc. Waste, Yard 41.28 by Type Municipal Waste of Waste: 55.46 58.6 48.28 63.65 75.37 70.62 Office Buildings, Institutions Collected Municipal Waste by Origin: 22.28From Municipal Services, i.e. Street and Market Cleaning, 19.8 21.44 20.64 18.31 16.64 13.16 From Households Collected Municipal Waste by Origin: From Commerce and Businesses, Small Trade, 103.29 103.65 113.17 134.84 133.807 133.91 144.57 Generated/Collected TABLE 7.2: GENERATION AND COLLECTION OF MUNICIPAL WASTE IN MALTA 1999-2005 IN MALTA WASTE MUNICIPAL OF COLLECTION AND 7.2: GENERATION TABLE Collected Waste Municipal by Origin: 6 The category Municipal Waste by Type The category Municipal Waste of Collection: Separate Collection of Fractions, relates to waste which Waste has been collected in bring-in sites since 2003. The amount of separate waste collected in 2005 is eleven times that collected in 2003. This is an encouraging result since it shows that people are becoming more conscious of the need to separate waste fractions at source. Back in 2003, when bring-in sites were experienced an average decrease (-15.19 per cent over the initial amount) in the period under review. 2003 2004 2005 On average, municipal waste falling 5 On the other hand, waste that is in this category increased by 43.02 per cent during the period under review. grouped under the category Municipal Collected by Origin: from Waste Small Businesses, Commerce and Trade, Office Buildings and Institutions, has cent of the total amount of municipal waste. An increase was also registered in the category Municipal Waste Collected by Origin: From Municipal Services, i.e. Street and Market Litter Containers, Waste, Cleaning, Yard etc. 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 166.86 178.91 193.22 203.77 215.77 225.91 228.35 Paper Plastic Metals Glass 4 0.00 900.00 800.00 700.00 600.00 500.00 400.00 300.00 200.00 100.00 1,000.00

COMPOSITION OF WASTE COLLECTED FROM BRING-IN SITES 2003-2005 BRING-IN SITES FROM COLLECTED OF WASTE COMPOSITION CHART 7.3 CHART Tonnes Table 7.2 relates exclusively to Table Total Amount Collected Total FIGURES ARE IN 1000 TONNES Bulky WasteOther Waste 28.19 24.37 40.85 25.70 41.83 28.86 38.39 23.85 49.38 27.78 50.36 37.56 48.33 34.70 MetalsOrganic Material 67.18 4.59 66.05 4.51 72.02 4.92 83.19 5.68 81.38 80.54 5.58 84.38 5.58 5.90 TextilesPlasticsGlass 4.76 14.48 4.68 4.18 14.24 5.11 4.11 15.53 5.90 17.93 4.48 17.57 5.77 5.18 17.53 5.71 5.09 18.46 5.98 5.25 5.75 Paper, paperboard, Paper, paper products 19.10 18.78 20.47 23.65 23.22 23.37 24.85 of which TABLE 7.4: COMPOSITION OF MUNICIPAL WASTE 1999-2005 WASTE 7.4: COMPOSITION OF MUNICIPAL TABLE illegally in various locations all over the In 2004, for example, 20,000 country. tonnes of waste were dumped illegally. It is hoped that, with the imposition of harsher fines and stricter enforcement, these amounts will take a downturn in the near future. municipal waste. It is clearly evident share of municipal waste that the lion’s is generated by households. On average, from 1999 to 2005, household waste experienced an average increase of 19.94 per cent contributing 61.38 per

Environment Statistics 38 Waste Environment Statistics 39 Waste Table 7.4 describes the composition of Table At present, Malta has only one waste 8 per cent of the total, metals have been the least disposed-of material at bring-in sites. municipal waste according to the waste fractions from which it is composed. The are results presented in this Table estimations derived from a survey which was conducted back in 2002. The only actual figures present in this table are those for bulky waste. At a glance it is evident that organic material is the major constituent of municipal waste. On average, from 1999 to 2005, this waste fraction made up 37.94 per cent of the municipal waste stream. This was followed by bulky waste, which accounted for 20.94 per cent. Last on the list came glass (2.41 per cent), metals (2.61 per cent) and textiles (2.69 per cent). which is known as the treatment facility, Regarding bring-in sites, Table 7.3 and Regarding bring-in sites, Table By 2005, the share of bulky waste had dropped, from 100 per cent to 96.49 per cent of the total amounts of waste although However, collected separately. the waste collected from bring-in sites has experienced a constant increase, waste that is collected by the bulky refuse service followed a fluctuating trend throughout the period under the highest amount collected review, being in 2004, while the lowest was on average, collected in 1999. However, from 1999 to 2005, a 52.14 per cent increase was experienced. paperboard Chart 7.3 show that paper, and paper products absolute constitute the largest waste type collected at bring-in sites. On average, 49 per cent of all waste collected from bring-in sites On can be classified under this category. the other hand, by netting an average of 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 7 5.00 0.00

30.00 25.00 20.00 15.00 10.00 AMOUNTS OF WASTE EFFECTIVELY RECOVERED AT SAWTP 1999-2005 SAWTP AT RECOVERED EFFECTIVELY OF WASTE AMOUNTS tonnes 1000 in Value CHART 7.4 CHART The types of waste that are collected 7.3 shows that bulky waste by Table Amounts designated for recovery operations 25.18 31.38 32.10 15.55 24.43 34.99 40.75 Waste recoveredWaste FIGURES ARE IN 1000 TONNES 13.70 20.40 18.89 9.54 15.28 17.04 24.93 of which: Rejects 11.48 10.98 13.21 6.02 9.16 17.96 15.82 TABLE 7.5: TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL OF MUNICIPAL WASTE IN MALTA 1999-2005 IN MALTA WASTE AND DISPOSAL OF MUNICIPAL 7.5: TREATMENT TABLE introduced, there were 24 such sites. By the end of 2004, these had increased to 57, while the corresponding figure for 2005 was 70. It is projected that by the end of 2006, the number of bring-in sites would have reached 400, in an effort to make waste separation accessible to a wider range of people. separately at these sites are paper and cardboard, glass, plastic and metals. The amounts collected for each separate 7.3. waste fraction are reported in Table the amounts of bulky waste In this Table, collected are also reported since this type of waste is collected separately at source by an apposite service. far makes up the largest amount of separate waste collected in Malta. From 1999 to 2002, bulky waste was the only type of waste to be collected separately. The 9 376.77 108.01 states definitely that “It is unlikely 0.78 0.056 0.056 In Malta, waste management has Waste treatment and incineration are Waste 2005 The State of the Environment Report latter incinerators began operating prior since the date of their to 2005, however, commencement of operations is still they were all reported in the unclear, same year. become an increasingly important issue entry in on the national agenda. Malta’s the EU has helped to put into action what has been written on paper. However much more needs to be done. that Malta will meet its target to recycle 25 per cent of packaging waste by 2005. In addition Malta did not meet its target to close down all non- conforming incineration plants by 2003…”. This shows that, as in other environmental sectors, enforcement needs to be more stringent so that acceptable environmental standards are reached. amount of inert waste was disposed of. In fact this amount is greater than the combined amount of waste disposed of in 2003 and 2005. the two other methods of dealing with treatment has already waste. Waste been discussed above. Regarding incineration, it is still unclear how much waste is disposed of by this method; having said that, the incinerators which exist in Malta are small ones. Up to 2004, only two incinerators were reported. These were the incinerators of Hospital and that of the Marsa St. Luke’s In 2005, the number of reported abattoir. incinerators increased to seven. of land. The capacity 2 . The new interim facility, known . The new interim facility, 2 From Table 6 it can be noted that From Table The amount of inert waste which is of this landfill is expected to be exhausted in 2006 since, at current rates, more than 250,000 tonnes of waste per annum require landfilling while at the end of 2005 the remaining Zwejra was just of capacity at Ta’ 108,010 tonnes. waste sent for landfilling experienced an increase from 1999 to 2002. From 2003 to 2005, a sudden decrease occurred due whereby inert to a change in policy, waste began to be disposed of in quarries. On average, waste disposed of in landfills decreased by 16.6 per cent from the initial amount. However by 2005, the amount of waste that was being disposed of in landfills had decreased by 83.11 per cent from the amount recorded in 2002. disposed of does not show any linear trend, although an average increase of 43.6 per cent over the amount deposited 2004 in 2003 can be discerned. By far, was the year in which the greatest as Ta’ Zwejra, is much smaller and as Ta’ occupies 0.056km characteristics of dumps, they were considered as health hazards. In the place of these landfills, it was planned to have a single engineered facility on mainland Malta which should open in mid-2006. In the meantime, an interim engineered facility has opened adjacent 7.6 to the old Maghtab landfill. Table shows that, at the time of their closure, the footprint occupied by the Maghtab and Qortin landfills was of a total of 0.78km 1111111 2222227 2222211 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 8 2 The amounts of waste that have The range of waste treatment and entry in the EU was a catalyst Malta’s Capacity/1000tAnnual input into treatment plants/1000tNumber of incinerators 80.00 25.18 80.00 31.38 80.00 32.10 80.00 15.55 80.00 24.43 80.00 34.99 80.00 40.75 Annual input into quarry sites/1000tplants Number of treatment 761.88 2,177.86 1,094.18 where inert waste is depositedAnnual input into 7 4 5 landfill sites/1000tNumber of quarry sites 1,173.93 1,445.56 1,233.00 1,591.67 839.81 300.42 268.76 Number of landfill sites Number of of landfill sites/km area Total capacity/1000t Remaining TABLE 7.6: WASTE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL INSTALLATIONS 1999-2005 INSTALLATIONS DISPOSAL AND TREATMENT 7.6: WASTE TABLE Sant’ Antnin Waste Treatment Plant Treatment Sant’ Antnin Waste this plant has an Built in 1993, (SAWTP). annual capacity of 80,000 tonnes. throughout the plant’s However, existence, this capacity was never reached due to a series of technical and environmental problems. With the aim of implementing its waste management the Maltese Government is strategy, currently planning to upgrade this plant so that it can cater efficiently for a throughput of 71,000 tonnes of recyclable and bio-degradable waste. entered SAWTP since 1999 are given in since entered SAWTP 7.5. Though these amounts follow Table a fluctuating trend, they show an average increase of 15.97 per cent over the initial amount. These fluctuations are reflected in the amount of waste recovered, which reached its lowest level in 2002, only to increase by 2.61 times in 2005. disposal facilities in Malta is limited, due to the comparatively small amount of waste generated and the years of neglect with regard to waste For many years, the management policy. only available option was to dispose of waste at the two official landfills, one in Gozo (Qortin) and the other in mainland Malta (Maghtab). for change with regard to waste Upon management in the country. accession to the EU, the two Malta’s existent landfills were closed down since, owing to the fact that they exhibited practically all the

Environment Statistics 40 Waste Environment Statistics 41 Waste in the waste management and data collection system end up being recorded with the mining and Quarrying waste. with the mining and end up being recorded collection system management and data in the waste of in the same and thus are disposed of a similar nature are composed of waste since both categories This results manner. dust. Bring-in sites. and waste collected from EXECUTIVE%20SUMMARY.pdf http://www.wasteservmalta.com/html/ all of these incinerators are in line with EU standards, and so they will have Boffa Hospital and the Gozo Hospital. Not to be replaced or shut down. REFERENCES 1. Report, 2002 State of the Environment 2. limitations found due to certain demolition wastes, which of construction and includes a proportion This category also 3. waste and tarmac fine during the recycling process, hazardous sectors include waste which is recovered The Other 4.the Environment Report, 2005 State of 5. Bulky refuse, waste collected from Beaches, Hospital wastes, from SAWTP, in this category includes Rejects Waste 6. and Restaurants’ waste. in this category includes Hotels’ Waste 7.the Environment Report, 2005. State of 8. 9. Hospital, the Malta Drydocks, St. Luke’s the Gozo abattoir, These are the incinerators of the airport, the Marsa abattoir, BLANK Environment Statistics 43 Energy therefore predominantly domestic. In summer peak demand occurs during the morning and is therefore predominantly commercial and industrial. Chart 8.2 gives an overview of the oscillating electrical demand for the year 2005. This graph clearly shows that the months of October and November are April, May, the periods during which there is less Year The daily electricity demand for Malta during this period was of 93.6 per cent, whereas the annual average electrical power generation was of 1,763,591 megawatt hours. This is presented in Chart 8.1 exhibits a pattern that is typical of the Mediterranean region. Peak demand in winter is during the evening and is 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 0

500,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000

ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATED IN MALTA ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATED

CHART 8.1 Mw hrs Mw Energy statistical data for Malta show Malta by Enemata Corporation. that there has been a continuously increasing demand for electrical energy during the past 15 years. The increase Africa. Therefore, all the electrical energy that is required is generated in Africa. Therefore, all the At present, the total generating capacity produced by two oil- stands at 571 MW, fired power stations based at Marsa and Delimara, which are interconnected by means of the existing grid. power. Malta is not connected to any existing electricity grid in Europe or Malta is not connected to any existing electricity power. range of fossil fuels and gas oil in order to be able to generate electrical range of fossil fuels and gas the country has no fossil-fuel resources. To date Malta imports fuel oil, a resources. To the country has no fossil-fuel Energy in Malta is derived from the importation of various fossil fuels, since Energy in Malta is derived ENERGY CHAPTER 8 CHAPTER

December

November October This heavy demand is attributed

megawatts to 363 megawatts, a difference of 175.5 megawatts. mostly to the domestic sector since this absorbs most of the islands’ electrical Chart 8.3 shows the pattern of energy. electricity consumption by sector over

September

August July

Month

June May

there was an average demand for electricity of 280 megawatts on an annual basis. The demand for electrical energy in the islands is increasing In fact, constantly from year to year. average electrical demand from 1990 to 2005 has escalated, from 187.5 April

197193169 242163 200171 184 269179 176 246180 180 210 292184 199 196 261188 200 196 212 271182 204 211 200 240230 212 216 212 230 277 208 215 215 219 261 271 222 223 228 244 312 211 225 241 219 314 273 235 246 241 229 232 251 259 220 267 250 257 242 244 243 269 275 240 275 260 265 265 238 254 280 214 246 258 294 267 321 284

March

February 0 January

50

450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 ELECTRICITY MAXIMUM DEMAND 2005 MAXIMUM ELECTRICITY hours Megawatt CHART 8.2 CHART Table 8.1 shows maximum demand for Table November December September October July August Annual average 187.50 210.17 226.92 239.00 246.83 257.25 265.17 April May June February March MONTHJanuary 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 TABLE 8.1: ELECTRICITY MAXIMUM DEMAND MW TABLE demand for electricity. By contrast, demand for electricity. February and August are the months when peak electrical demand has been registered. electricity in the past fifteen years. The data indicate that during this period,

Environment Statistics 44 Energy

Environment Statistics 45 Energy

2003/04

2002/03

2001/02 2000/01 Malta is totally dependent on fossil-

fuel imports and its fuel mix is becoming cleaner following measures such as the abolition of leaded petrol use in 2003 and the supply of low sulphur diesel. 8.2 which This is presented in Table shows the quantities of fuel imported

1999/00

1998/99 1997/98

Year

1996/97

1995/96 1994/95

consumers of electricity in the islands, with the commercial sector absorbing 33 per cent and the industrial sector 29 per cent. Such a distribution is mainly attributable to accelerating energy to Refer demand by the economic sector. Chart 8.4.

1993/94

1992/93

1991/92 1990/91 0 Used in power station Industrial Commercial Domestic Street lighting Sundries for Lost/unaccounted 500,000 4,000,000 3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000

257249286 262 293 315 275 285 322 283 276 287 312 290 361 312 296 332 338 304 362 326 319 357 324 313 354 272281273 272269 297 278 282 285 299 311 290 307 322 333 313 329 348 342 344 340 359 367 379 324 395 397 356 390 387 386 378 366 403 411 377 288294294 302268 282236 295 309 259 353 239 287 354 245 322 257 307 314 253 326 257 297 369 266 319 275 299 358 284 395 271 345 369 303 361 282 345 389 301 402 286 378 316 311 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION BY SECTOR CONSUMPTION ELECTRICITY MW in consumption Electricity CHART 8.3 CHART 272.25 281.58 294.33 301.08 315.33 323.00 354.00 346.58 363.00 the past fifteen-year period. It is evident that between 1990 and 2005, Malta’s gross energy consumption increased by 73 per cent, with the domestic sector absorbing around 36 per cent of total electrical consumption. The commercial and industrial sectors are the next major Gas Oil Diesel Unleaded Jet A-1 Gasoline Aviation Fuel Oil Light Heating Oil LPG Propane Industrial Commercial Domestic Street lighting PERCENTAGE SHARE OF FUEL CONSUMPTION ELECTRICAL CONSUMPTION PERCENTAGE SHARE IN MALTA 1990-2005 CHART 8.5 CHART 8.4 0% 29% 9% 7% 111,767 56,617 109,550 137,851 97,710 137,851 56,617 109,550 111,767 33% 2% 63% 10% 7% 0% 2% 36% 2% - - 103 6,035 - 3,000 3,098 3,783 7,274 15,789 257 253 95 318 195 421 304 195 224 131 123 147 112 121 108 160 135 133 160 108 160 135 133 147 112 121 98 151 129 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 17,598 16,302 15,193 16,397 16,822 16,135 16,383 17,369 16,997 16,816 18,177 17,598 16,302 15,193 16,397 16,822 58,464 62,154 62,853 54,119 52,403 42,692 37,501 31,113 - - - 68,028 70,186 58,012 29,172 43,577 25,281 27,220 20,958 21,267 13,583 15,447 - - 31,113 54,119 52,403 42,692 37,501 58,464 62,154 62,853 - 18,091 18,964 15,791 3,635 9,209 9,677 9,992 14,719 15,640 12,386 - 102,997 111,643 126,001 89,270 106,465 113,740 89,070 87,083 76,602 98,284 88,138 89,070 87,083 113,740 106,465 89,270 126,001 111,643 102,997 529,323 547,826 577,440 607,644 463,511 523,271 428,318 545,894 454,110 474,200 525,739 160,512 158,394 198,515 153,572 245,327 170,721 245,327 170,721 198,515 153,572 160,512 158,394 45,619 53,420 71,672 22,228 67,731 Table 8.2 indicates that, over the ten- Table Around 63 per cent of fuels is used for Chart 8.6 shows fuel price fluctuations TOTAL 827,158 861,306 977,080 838,740 998,915 828,569 888,662 834,269 911,753 933,869 963,789 PROPANE HEATING OIL HEATING LPG AVIATION GASOLINE FUEL OIL LIGHT JET A-1 UNLEADED PREMIUM KEROSENE GAS OIL DIESEL TABLE 8.2: FUEL IMPORTS METRIC TONNES IMPORTS 8.2: FUEL TABLE year period under review, there was an year period under review, increase in the importation of fuel oil, light heating oil, and unleaded fuel. By contrast, fossil-fuel imports with regard to gas oil and diesel have decreased. Between 1990 and 2005, there was an increase of over 136,000 metric tonnes of fossil-fuel imports for inland consumption. Chart 8.5 presents the shares of different types of fuel consumed in Malta. electricity production while another 26 per cent is consumed in public and private transportation. The high amount of consumption of fuel oil is due to the demand for electricity by ever-increasing consumers, which is estimated to be increasing at a rate of 8 per cent per annum. Around 15 per cent of total electricity generation is used for water desalination. from the year 2000 till the present day. The pattern clearly shows that there was an increase across all fuel categories. A drastic increase was registered in the price of kerosene from November 2004. A heavy increase was also experienced in the price of diesel fuel. On the other hand, into Malta. The data indicate that fuel oil is the most imported commodity since it is used for the daily operations of the two installed power stations. Low sulphur diesel constitutes the second largest share of fuel imports. This is followed by unleaded fuel since this type of fuel is also used by the transport sector.

Environment Statistics 46 Energy

Environment Statistics 47 Energy

01/02/2006

30/12/2005

01/12/2005

01/11/2005

26/10/2005

03/10/2005 01/07/2005

REFERENCES The primary source if information is the Enemalta Corporation. The energy balance sheets are compiled on the basis of a number of different sources. The Enemalta Corporation contributes to the calculation of energy consumption in power plants as well as the calculation of the energy consumption by specific groups. The National Statistics Office produces foreign trade figures and the results from the census of the consumption of energy in the The figures presented for industry. imports and exports relate to energy commodities moving into or out of Malta. Other energy statistics include information about the over all consumption sales and production of energy.

01/04/2005

04/01/2005

12/02/2004 12/01/2004

Petrol (LRP) Unleaded Gasoil Kerosene L.H.O. 25/11/2004

01/11/2004 Date

10/01/2004

05/07/2004

05/04/2004 01/01/2004

Malta has been a signatory to the

07/10/2003 climate change has led to a wide-raning discussion on how to reconcile the objectives and consequences of more economic competition with the widely discussed Kyoto Protocol commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Energy Charter Protocol on Energy Efficiency and Related Environmental Aspects, and to the Energy Charter these were only ratified However, Treaty. in 2001.

07/07/2003

02/01/2003

03/10/2002

03/07/2002

09/04/2002

22/11/2001 21/11/2000 0

0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1

FUEL PRICES IN MALTA FUEL PRICES CHART 8.6 CHART Price in Maltese Lira Maltese in Price The increasing demand for energy and the fact that energy in Malta is totally dependent on fossil fuels calls for more energy efficiency practices. Energy efficiency and renewable energy are importance in assuming ever-increasing the EU which is looking at an environmentally compatible energy system. Furthermore, the issue of prices for lead replacement petrol and unleaded petrol underwent similar marginal increases. BLANK Environment Statistics 49 Air Quality 2 10 mixing-ratio in St. Anne 2 CO BENZENE PM about 5.6 times as high, and benzene up Street can be about 4 times as high, NO monthly and sent for analysis to the UK. Results for diffusion tubes in St. Anne Street and Market Street, Floriana show that the SO 2 NO NO 2 December 2004 the Diffusion Tube Network consisted of 124 locations in 31 localities in Malta, at sites that can be classified as “roadside”, “urban intermediate” and “urban background”. These diffusion tubes were changed SO 3 ), Nitrogen Dioxide 2 ) and a number of 3

), Ozone (O 2 * THE ASTERISK INDICATES THAT ALTHOUGH MEASUREMENTS ARE AVAILABLE THESE WERE NOT CONSIDERED DUE TO TECHNICAL PROBLEMS MEASUREMENTS ARE AVAILABLE ALTHOUGH THAT * THE ASTERISK INDICATES Nov ‘04Dec ‘04 30 31 30 31 30 31 30 31 30 31 26 31 30 24 Aug ‘04Sep ‘04Oct ‘04 30 30 26 15 30 * 15 30 * 15 30 15 30 30 28 13 15 * 30 Jun ‘04Jul ‘04 30 22 30 25 30 * 30 * 13 * 19 30 * Apr ‘04May ‘04 30 31 30 30 30 30 30 30 * * a 02122 * ‘0423182423 Jan ‘04Feb ‘04Mar 27 19 29 25 29 25 * 25 29 20 * * Nov ‘03Dec’03 * 23 31 23 31 23 * 30 MONTHOct ‘03 O 9 16 16 16 16 TABLE 9.1: REAL TIME MEASUREMENTS IN DAYS AT FLORIANA AT TIME MEASUREMENTS IN DAYS 9.1: REAL TABLE specific time frames. requires Member States to comply with limit values for all pollutants within requires Member States to Network Since 1999 the Diffusion Tube has been introduced in Malta to conduct surveys regarding air concentrations of Sulphur Dioxide (SO Quality Framework Directive (1996/62/EC) and its four Daughter Directives, Quality Framework Directive related to air quality. The Air Quality Acquis, consisting mainly of the Air related to air quality. As an EU Member State Malta assumes all the obligations and legislation As an EU Member State Malta AIR QUALITY CHAPTER 9 CHAPTER (NO Hydrocarbons. From January 2003 to 2 concentrations 2 gives the following 2 >1.5 ppb <1.5 ppb No Data hourly limit value for BENZENE LEVELS (PPB) 3 human health protection not to be human health protection exceeded more than 18 times per year The EU Air Quality Directive thresholds: • 200 µg/m concentrations was observed in Malta. concentrations was observed (1999/30/EC) for NO was observed e.g. in Luqa (51 per cent), e.g. in Luqa (51 per was observed in Zejtun (44 per in Fgura (48 per cent), cent), in cent), in Gudja (40 per in Paola (39 per Birzebbugia (40 per cent), per cent). An cent) and in Marsa (23 per cent in SO overall reduction of 36 introduction of a low sulphur fuel is a low sulphur of a introduction about a in bringing measure potential of diminution in the number considerable between January- hourly concentrations In May-December 2004. April 2004 and drop in SO 2004, a drastic sources are 2 gives the following gives 2 hourly limit value for hourly limit for human daily limit value annual limit value for 3 3 3 ecosystem protection. human health protection not to be human health year than 24 times per exceeded more be exceeded health protection not to year more than 3 times per Between October 2003 and December Between October 2003 The EU Air Quality Directive Air Quality The EU • 125 µg/m • 20 µg/m power plants, road transport, particularly power plants, road transport, cruise liners diesel vehicles, air traffic, and international shipping. The 2004, at a real-time station in Floriana, 2004, at a real-time station exceeded 81 the hourly limit value was 24-hour limit was times in all, while the SO exceeded 11 times. Local thresholds: • 350 µg/m (1999/30/EC) for SO for (1999/30/EC) ) is a highly 2 , mostly attributed to the 2 have been carried out by MEPA have been carried 10 Real-time measurements of sulphur Real-time measurements Sulphur Dioxide (SO soluble gas. The majority of sulphur soluble gas. The majority origin in emissions are of anthropogenic the form of SO SOURCE MEPA BENZENE CONCENTRATION LEVEL CHANGE IN MALTA LEVEL BENZENE CONCENTRATION to 6 times as high as the counterparts in as the counterparts as high to 6 times Street. Market monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen benzene monoxide, ozone, dioxide, carbon and PM since October 2003 by means of various since October 9.1 Table types of analytical instruments. of real-time shows the availability with respect to measurements in days month in each pollutant and each Floriana. combustion of fossil fuel for energy combustion of fossil fuel and road generation, biomass burning transport. CHART 9.1

Environment Statistics 50 Air Quality Environment Statistics 51 Air Quality A Long-term Atmospheric Environment, of Gozo. Seasonal Variations on the Island Mediterranean – Diurnal and concentrations in the Central Study of Background Ozone Data extracted from State of Data extracted Report for Malta Environment Report on Air 2005 – Background MEPA. Quality, OTHER REFERENCES G., and Nolle M., Ellul R., Heinrich Gusten H., 2001: 36, 1391 – 1402. NOTE , 2 were 3 . The value 100 is measurements are 10 human protection human 10 3 daily limit value for human annual limit value for human and PM 3 3 3 threshold was exceeded on 37 3 measurements have been carried 10 , CO, O health protection not to be exceeded more than 25 times per year health protection. 2 Suspended Particulate Matter in the air Suspended Particulate PM Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) or Air • 30 µg/m observed during morning rush-hour periods. In Floriana, during high traffic concentrations, PM per cent of the total days measured in these months, this being the time of year with lower ambient dust levels. Concentration peaks of 300 µg/m out at Gordan Lighthouse (Gozo) reveal (Gozo) Gordan Lighthouse out at 120 µg/m that the threshold required by EU Air Quality threshold required on was exceeded Directive (2002/3/EC) 2003 of days measured in 46.7 per cent per cent of days measured and on 30.6 Floriana alone, the mentioned in 2004. In on 14.1 per cent threshold was exceeded of days measured in 2004. sizes and can assume diverse shapes, on their origin. compositions, depending are sea In Malta sources of particulates atmosphere, wind injections of salt in the emissions from blown dust, and exhaust The EU Air power plants and traffic. gives the Quality Directive (1999/30/EC) following standards: • 50 µg/m NO out in Floriana between September and December 2004. Results indicate that the 50 µg/m about 2.6 times as high as measurements during off-peak hours. Quality Index is produced for five classic air pollutants monitored, namely SO often equalised to the hourly limit value of that particular pollutant. The PSI emphasises the acute effects of short- term exposure to high pollution levels. In range, air quality in the air-quality Floriana is ‘good’ 72 per cent of the time, ‘moderate’ 26 per cent of the time, and ‘unhealthy’ about 2 per cent of the time. 3 , and 3 carried 3 , 6.5 µg/m 3 in Fgura, closely 3 are main roads in are main roads 2 is brought down to 3 concentrations are in those annual limit value for human limit value annual value for annual limit ) is found in the atmosphere, 3 3 3 3 , respectively. Regarding , respectively. 3 from 2003 to 2004. 2 concentrations in Floriana rose by 15 concentrations in Floriana health protection health protection. ecosystem 2 The collected data show that the parts data show that the The collected Ozone (O Benzene is a Volatile Organic Benzene is a Volatile • 30 µg/m per cent. Nevertheless, on a nationwide per cent. Nevertheless, cent reduction level, there was an 8 per of NO which has the role of filtering 90 per cent of ultra violet radiation, and is present in the stratosphere. Some of the stratospheric O areas experiencing high road traffic, such as Fgura, Hamrun, Floriana and Qormi. By contrast, highest values of O tropospheric (ground) level through photochemical smog reactions. Lowest values of O 5.8 µg/m concentrations are in the villages of Southern Malta and in Gozo. The background measurements of O • µg/m 40 followed by Hamrun, Floriana and Birkirkara with 6.7 µg/m most affected by NO most affected localities, especially those in Floriana, localities, especially 2003 to 2004, Hamrun and Sliema. From NO individual sites, the highest value of benzene concentration was recorded in Floriana. In 2003 leaded petrol, which had high benzene content of between 6 and 8 per cent, was phased out in favour of LRP and unleaded petrol, with less than 1 per cent benzene content. This has brought about a significant improvement in air quality. Compound (VOC), which is present in the Compound (VOC), which result of urban atmosphere as a of benzene incomplete combustion in the containing fuel; its presence due to atmosphere may also be evaporation. Chart 9.1 shows the annual averages of benzene. In 2003 the highest locality average of benzene was measured with 7 µg/m BLANK Environment Statistics 53 Sustainable Development Indicators In order to 3 The distribution of the national GDP is All in all, it is understood that an a reflection of a country’s economic a reflection of a country’s structure. The latter is very relevant to the environment, since it is directly related to the exploitation of natural resources raw materials and such as land, water, Among the consequences of this energy. exploitation is the production of noxious by- products such as waste and air pollution. economic shift from industry to services is 4 Sustainable development was Sustainable development 1 In this chapter, ten Sustainable In this chapter, Development Indicators are presented. The scope of these indicators ranges across a broad spectrum of the country’s activities. The indicators relate to: sectoral distribution of the national GDP; passenger vehicles; arable land; municipal waste; fuel imports; electricity generation; water production; contamination of bathing water; fish landings; and protected areas. In fact, from1992, Malta has been a party to all major In fact, from1992, Malta has 2

of sustainable development, such as environmental protection. of sustainable development, such as environmental documents. focus on various aspects several international treaties and agreements that committed itself to adhere to the principles endorsed in the resultant committed itself to adhere Malta is a signatory to Commission on Sustainable Development. In addition, and Development – held in 1992. As a party to this conference, Malta and Development – held and the Mediterranean These include: the UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan the theme of a landmark conference – the UN Conference on Environment the theme of a landmark and fora that promote sustainable development. conventions, programmes The coming-into-force of environmental legislation and international agreements must be complemented by the collection of data in order to assess the country’s performance against the multi-faceted dimension of sustainable development. Sustainable Development Indicators form an important part of the equation since they supply cross-sectoral items of data. the energy, These relate to demography, economy and the environment. future generations to meet their own needs.” future generations to meet that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of that meets the needs of the Sustainable development is defined by the United Nations as “Development Sustainable development INDICATORS DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABLE CHAPTER 10 CHAPTER Protection Act and the Development Planning Act. various legislative tools, principal among which are the Environment various legislative tools, principal among which are attain the goals endorsed by international agreements, Malta has introduced attain the goals endorsed by international agreements, No. of passenger cars/100 inhabitants cars/100 passenger of No. 58.00 56.00 54.00 52.00 50.00 48.00 46.00 44.00 On the other hand, the economic the shift has not been constant across all the years in this period. In fact, in 2000 and 2002, the share of industry actually increased, when compared to previous years. The main contributing factor to this shift was a fall in direct industrial production, which includes also construction and quarrying activities. performance of the agriculture and fishing sector remained more or less constant. From 1998 to 2005, its annual share of the GDP hovered around the 2.5-per-cent mark. The highest and lowest values were Total Passenger Vehicles Total Other Vehicles per 100 Inhabitants No. of Passenger Vehicles 6 From 1998 to 2005, a shift from industry to services is observable. The contribution of the services sector to the GDP increased by 3.6 per cent from 71.6 per cent in 1998 to 75.2 per cent in the share of industry 2005. Conversely, decreased from 26.0 per cent in 1998 to 22.4 per cent in 2005. Having said this, and pollution. In this context, the Eco- certification scheme for hotels introduced on a voluntary basis by the Malta Authority in 2003 is a positive Tourism step towards the improvement of the environmental credentials of this sector in Malta. 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 5 0

50,000

100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 No. of Vehicles of No. NUMBER OF PASSENGER VEHICLES PER 100 INHABITANTS VEHICLES NUMBER OF PASSENGER CHART 10.1 For example, tourism, albeit classified 2005FIGURES ARE IN PERCENT 2.43 22.41 75.16 20032004 2.56 2.51 24.34 23.04 73.1 74.45 20012002 2.59 2.56 24.25 24.39 73.16 73.05 199819992000 2.46 2.76 2.29 25.98 25.57 27.26 71.56 71.67 70.45 TABLE 10.1: DISTRIBUTION OF GDP (AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRY, SERVICES) INDUSTRY, (AGRICULTURE, OF GDP 10.1: DISTRIBUTION TABLE YEAR AND FISHING AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY SERVICES beneficial in environmental terms since it reduces the intensity of resource exploitation and the generation of noxious this understanding by-products. However, is only on a general level; for a more accurate assessment, the environmental performance of every economic sector must be considered. as part of the services sector in economic terms, is a major contributor to resource exploitation because of the relatively high degree of land use, water and energy consumption, as well as the significant issues of waste production

Environment Statistics 54 Sustainable Development Indicators Environment Statistics 55 Sustainable Development Indicators 11 , decreasing use 10 The evidence points to a 12 The increased mobility experienced by of public transport results in increased road traffic which, among other things, impinges on the image of Malta among tourists. A vehicle-infested island is hardly conducive to return visits by tourists. the Maltese since the 1950s has been a contributing factor to an urbanisation boom which has greatly enlarged the extent of urban areas. Suffice it to say that, from 1957 to 1985, the built-up share of the land area increased by a colossal 348 per cent; to date, 23 per cent of the total land area is dedicated to urban landuse. correlative heavy loss of arable land, to noise levels and traffic accidents, resulting in enhanced environmental and health hazards. Owing to a decline in patronage of the public transport system, the latter has experienced a corresponding decline in past years. Apart from the disadvantages this has for non- holders of car licences End-of-life 8 9 The increase in motor vehicles is In addition, more motor vehicles lead vehicles are also disposed of in numerous illegal scrap yards that litter the Maltese countryside. Positive steps in this direction include the introduction of low sulphur fuels in 2003 and the direct action to remove all illegal being taken by MEPA scrap yards. continuously been on the increase although the rate of increase has slowed down from 2003 onwards. By 2005 the total number of vehicles reached 271,338 from 229,977 recorded in 1998. detrimental to the environment for a number of reasons. The consumption of energy and land resources is a prime concern since Malta does not have any energy sources of its own and has a Furthermore, motor limited land supply. vehicles generate pollution and waste. In Malta, motor vehicles constitute the major source of air pollution. directly to an increase in congestion, In 7 . On per se GENERATED/000' TONNESGENERATED/000' CAPITA/TONNES 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1996 1997 2001 2005

0.045 0.040 0.035 0.030 0.025 0.020 0.015 0.010 0.005 0.000 ARABLE LAND PER CAPITA ARABLE (Ha)/capita Land Arable CHART 10.2 CHART The number of other vehicles has The number of passenger vehicles per 200320042005 215.77 225.91 228.35 399,867 402,668 405,387 0.54 0.56 0.56 20012002 193.22 203.77 394,641 397,296 0.49 0.51 19992000 166.86 178.91 388,759 391,415 0.43 0.46 TABLE 10.2: MUNICIPAL WASTE GENERATED PER CAPITA GENERATED WASTE 10.2: MUNICIPAL TABLE YEAR WASTE MUNICIPAL TOTAL POPULATION TOTAL PER GENERATED WASTE the 1998 to 2005 time span, Malta witnessed an average increase of about 10 per cent in passenger vehicles per 100 inhabitants. A slight decrease of 0.5 per cent was recorded in 2005 when was due compared to 2004; this, however, to a lag in the increase of passenger vehicles when compared to the rate of increase in the population, and not to a decrease in passenger vehicles remained fairly constant throughout the In 1998, this number period under review. stood at 44,301, rising to 46,784 by 2005. Overall, from 1998 to 2005, the total number of vehicles in Malta has the contrary, from 1998 to 2005, the the contrary, number of passenger vehicles has always shown an increase. 100 inhabitants is another indicator with significant environmental implications. recorded in 1999 (2.8 per cent) and in 2000 (2.3 per cent). 18 19 METRIC TONNES Chart 10.3 also depicts a shift that can Chart 10.3 shows how the generation of In Malta, the bulk of fuel imports are be discerned between 1990 and 2005 in seasonal peak generation. Up to 1995, electricity generation peaked in winter, By 2000, the especially in January. difference between summer and winter had levelled out so that electricity generation in January surpassed that in electricity has varied annually as well as in five-year periods from 1990 seasonally, to 2005. In this time span, electricity generation increased almost twofold (by 1.89 times), the largest increase being recorded between 1990 and 1995 (454,403 MWH). This increased demand was catered for by the building of the new Delimara plant in 1992. In the meantime, the Marsa plant continued to function while the smaller Corradino plant was closed down. From 1992, new installations within the Delimara power station were effected, the latest innovation (in 1999) being a combined cycle plant together with two gas turbines that raised the total capacity of the plant to 304 MW. head. From 2002, the annual average percentage increase in fuel imports per head was of 4.3 per cent. In 2005, fuel imports per head were estimated at 2.38 metric tonnes. Having said this, the figures from 2002 to 2005 fall well short of the amounts in 1999 (2.57 metric tonnes) and 1997 (2.54 metric tonnes). consumed by the transport sector and by the electricity-generating power stations in Marsa and Delimara. The two power stations constitute practically the only source of electricity in Malta; they have a combined electricity generation capacity of 571 MW and are fuelled with heavy fuel oil and light distillate. 15 17 A positive step in this respect 16 The generation of a reliable supply 10.3 relate The data presented in Table Recent years have seen an incremental In terms of waste reduction, re-use and has been MEPA’s authorisation of a has been MEPA’s compliance scheme operated by the private sector which aims to recover packaging waste in order to meet the requirements of the Packaging Waste Directive of the EU. of energy is essential for a country’s However, development and economy. energy generation is a significant environmental issue, especially since the combustion of fossil fuels is a major contributor to air pollution. to fuel imports. These are meant for local consumption and do not include fuel which is destined for bunkering and re- exports. In the period 1995-2005, an annual average of 2.3 metric tonnes of fuel per head was imported. trend in fuel imports, which has translated into an increased trend in fuel imports per recycling much more needs to be done. Against all these, there are EU targets that must be met within specific deadlines. WasteServ Limited, entrusting it with the Limited, entrusting it WasteServ whole spectrum of waste management in Malta. Notable steps have been taken to improve waste disposal by means of the closure of the Maghtab and Qortin dumps, the opening of the first interim engineered landfill and the disposal of inert waste in disused quarries. The promotion of waste separation is also firmly on the agenda, with the organisation of bring-in sites a definite step in this direction. A new engineered landfill is set to open in the near future, the municipal waste treatment plant will be upgraded and five civic amenity sites for the facilitation of waste separation are due to be set up. This reduction in 13 14 Throughout this period, the rate of loss Municipal waste generated per head is From 1999 to 2004, municipal waste per In the years preceding accession to the 20042005 933,869 963,789 402,668 405,387 2.32 2.38 200120022003 888,662 834,269 911,753 394,641 397,296 399,867 2.25 2.10 2.28 19992000 998,915 828,569 388,759 391,415 2.57 2.12 19971998 977,080 838,740 384,176 386,397 2.54 2.17 19951996 827,158 861,306 378,404 381,405 2.19 2.26 TABLE 10.3: FUEL IMPORTS PER CAPITA IMPORTS 10.3: FUEL TABLE YEAR METRIC TONNES FUEL IMPORTS/ POPULATION PER CAPITA/ FUEL IMPORTS the tune of 3,065.63 hectares in the thirty or so years between 1973 and 2005. of arable land was highest from 1977 to 1981. In these five years, arable land was being lost at a rate of 277.8 hectares per After 1981, this rate slowed down, year. so that arable-land loss, as calculated from 1983 to 2001, went down to 70.65 hectares per annum. the loss of agricultural land was brought about by the establishment of the Provision Schemes (TPS) in Temporary 1988 and the Structure Plan in 1991, all measures aimed at stemming urban sprawl and containing development within set areas. an indicator of the level of consumption of resources by a sizeable proportion of a economic, leisure and household country’s activities. While an increased level of consumption leads to greater waste generation, initiatives that promote re- use, recycling and the reduction of waste help rationalise the amount of generated waste, thus increasing the lifetime of resources and promoting sustainability. head has always been on the increase. there were fluctuations, with However, percentage increases ranging from 7 per cent in 2000 to 3.7 per cent in 2004. In 2005, waste generation per head remained the same as that in the preceding year but the reason for this was that the increase in municipal waste generation of 2.44 thousand tonnes was offset by the increase in population. European Union, Malta sought to address the issue of waste management which has escalated throughout the years. In November 2002, Government set up

Environment Statistics 56 Sustainable Development Indicators Environment Statistics 57 Sustainable Development Indicators The State , which 24 From 1993 to 2005, a notable 23 The amelioration of bathing water of the Environment Report 2005 improvement was made especially since 1997, when the number of site days closed never exceeded 100, this figure having been the norm in previous years. Definitely the worst year on record is 1994, when 964 site days closed were recorded. By contrast, the best results in this respect were achieved in 2002 and 2003, with 11 site days closed apiece. On average, throughout the period indicated, site days closed decreased by 26 per cent over the number recorded in 1993. quality in Malta is confirmed by result of the malfunction of sewage pumps which results in sewage seeping through overflows and also from the pollution generated by marine pleasure craft. states that: “Malta meets the Bathing Directive standards and to a large Water extent also those laid out under the more stringent Barcelona Convention”. Even so, the sewerage infrastructure is still in need of improvement in order to avoid contamination from drainage overflows. There is also the need for the better integration of sectoral policies relating to tourism, recreation, the environment, aquaculture, fisheries and maritime activities. This would make for an approach through which the issue of the quality of bathing water would be dealt with in a holistic and sustainable manner. 1990 1995 2000 2005 As a 22 21 In the face of increasing demand, Since Malta is an island nation with The number of site days during which Such sites are normally contaminated as a years. From 1995 to 2005, an average annual decrease of 5.6 per cent was experienced. Throughout this decade, a percentage decrease was recorded in all the years save for 2002, in which a minimal increase of 0.6 per cent was recorded. This small percentage rise resulted in a correspondingly small increase of around half a million cubic metres of water production over the previous year. reductions in the production of water have been effected through minimising leakages in the distribution system. result, water production per head in 2005 was 0.6 times less than the amount produced in 1995. inextricable ties between the sea and its bathing water quality identity and history, is bound to assume significant dimensions, also considering that to-date, Malta has been greatly dependent on ‘sun and sea’ tourism. Furthermore, Malta gets more than half its water supply through Therefore, the desalination of seawater. good-quality bathing water is an asset for a prerequisite for the Maltese economy, potable water and an essential for a healthy coastal and marine environment. bathing areas are closed because of contamination is a telling indicator of the bathing water quality in a given year. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec To-date, Malta has three To-date, 20 0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000

ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATED IN MALTA POWER GENERATED ELECTRICAL CHART 10.3 CHART Hours Megawatt Water production per capita has been Water Water Production is a perennial area of Water functioning plants located at Cirkewwa, Pembroke and Ghar Lapsi which generate The more than half its water supply. desalination process entails high levels of electricity needed to drive the plants and therefore, comes at a high cost. In fact, electricity generated for use in desalination comprises around 6 per cent of total electricity generation in Malta. on a decreasing trend for a number of August by a relatively minimal amount – 374 Megawatt Hours. By 2005, electricity output in summer had clearly overtaken A determining factor generation in winter. in the summer increase was the heat wave that occurred in the summer of 2003 which saw a heavy electricity load consumed by air conditioning units, with home installations rising at a fast rate. In July 2005, electricity generated in this by 14.4 per month exceeded January’s cent. concern for Malta; this is due to the limited water supply that the country receives through precipitation. Currently, problems regarding water production are and energy groundwater over-exploitation use for desalination. Up to the early 1980s, practically the whole water supply However, was sourced from groundwater. the level of exploitation could not be sustained and the decision was taken to invest in desalination through Reverse Osmosis plants. , 2 . In 2003, 2 and make up 14.7 per 2 In Malta statutory 28 29 , there is still a deficiency in 30 In spite of comparing well with the In summary, with regard to Malta, In summary, worldwide proportion of protected areas land area in (12 per cent of the planet’s 2000) protection was initiated in 1994 with the protection of Wied Musa as an Area of Ecological Importance. It gained momentum in 1996 when the coastal cliffs situated in the southern and western parts of Malta were designated Areas of Ecological Importance. In total, these covered an area of 23.24 km managed areas. At present, Malta has a limited number of managed areas – just four sites covering half a square kilometre of land. these indicators sketch out a positive performance in respect of water production, bathing water quality and statutory designation of protected areas, and a negative performance in respect of number of licensed vehicles, supply of arable land and generation of waste and electricity (in view of generation by means of fossil fuel combustion). The indicators available do not show a clear direction in Malta had 71 sites classified as Areas of Ecological Importance (AEIs), Sites of Scientific Importance (SSIs) and Scientific Areas of Conservation (SACs). These occupy 46.52km translating into 17.8 per cent of the total land area. point of view. if the cent of the total land area. However, other designations – including Bird Sanctuaries and Special Protection Areas – are added on, the total protected (SPAs) area of Malta would rise to 56.2 km 26 The year with the most 27 Another aspect of sustainable The 1996-2005 period has seen Malta contributes only a small share to abundant fish catches for Malta in the 1996-2005 period was 2005. But even this constituted only 0.09 per cent of the total fish landings in the region. development is the protection of natural habitats which are significant from an ecological, scientific, and conservational stocks that are being over-fished. A stocks that are being over-fished. concrete collective effort must be made towards the solution, a stance that has been adopted by the European Commission. In the words of Joe Borg, the Maltese Commissioner for Fisheries and need first, to ensure Maritime Affairs: “We the adoption and application of measures to maintain sustainable fisheries in our waters and second, dialogue with our partners around the Mediterranean to develop fisheries management measures for the whole region.” fluctuations in Maltese fish landings. Both increases and decreases in catches were The most recorded from year to year. conspicuous percentage increase (+25.2 per cent) was recorded in 2005, while 2001 saw the greatest slump (-14.8 per cent). The absolute majority of fish caught belongs to pelagic species. In fact, throughout the indicated period pelagic species comprised 84 per cent of all fish catches. Eight per cent were demersal species and were classified as ‘other species’. the fish landings recorded in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, which amount to an annual average of 1.5 million tonnes. The 25 DAYS CLOSED DAYS 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 0.00 WATER PRODUCTION PER CAPITA PRODUCTION WATER CHART 10.4 CHART 80.00 60.00 40.00 20.00 160.00 140.00 120.00 100.00 Chart 10.5 presents an indicator that 200320042005 11 33 25 200020012002 59 56 11 19981999 32 74 19961997 130 38 199319941995 224 964 497 YEAR NUMBER OF SITE TABLE 10.4: SITE DAYS DURING 10.4: SITE DAYS TABLE AREAS WERE WHICH BATHING CLOSED BECAUSE OF CONTAMINATION Mediterranean also has its share of fish links up with the one just discussed, in that both indicators have the marine Fish environment as common denominator. landings are likewise an important issue in the equation of sustainability due to over- fishing, a problem that has assumed globally significant proportions in the late In fact, in 2002, the FAO 20th century. calculated that 72 per cent of marine stocks were being harvested at rates which exceeded their natural reproduction.

Environment Statistics 58 Sustainable Development Indicators

Environment Statistics 59 Sustainable Development Indicators % of Total Area of Country of Area Total of % 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 % of Total area of Country % of Total 2 Total OtherTotal Demersal Total Pelagic Total Cumulative Number of Sites Cumulative Area/km 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 0.00 800.00 600.00 400.00 200.00 0

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10

1,600.00 1,400.00 1,200.00 1,000.00

AREA AFFORDED PROTECTION STATUS AREA AFFORDED PROTECTION FISH LANDINGS BY BROAD SPECIES GROUP BY BROAD FISH LANDINGS CHART 10.6 CHART 10.5 CHART No. of sites/Area in km2 in sites/Area of No. Tonnes nt of t up ic n m 1984

– 17/03/2006 , January 2006, MEPA, Floriana. , January 2006, MEPA, , January 2006, MEPA, Floriana. , January 2006, MEPA, , January 2006, MEPA, Floriana. , January 2006, MEPA, in a position to make a definitive judgement a definitive to make in a position or regress progress to Malta’s with regard the just on the basis of in this respect, here. and discussed indicators presented , February 2002, MEPA, Floriana.; MEPA , February 2002, MEPA, , January 2006, MEPA, Floriana. , January 2006, MEPA, , DPH.; DPH (Department of Public Health). – 20/03/2006; Jibdew jitnehhew l-iscrapyards – 20/03/2006 , December 2003, MEPA, Floriana. , December 2003, MEPA, , December 2003, MEPA, Floriana. , December 2003, MEPA, – 23/03/2006 – 23/03/2006 .mepa.org.mt opic Paper opic Paper opic Paper Final Draft – 17/03/2006 - 23/03/2006 – 17/03/2006 , WSC. ransport T ransport T – 17/03/2006 - 23/03/2006 ater Quality Annual Report 1996 – 22/03/2006 – 22/03/2006 .mt/pages/main.asp?sec=17 , DPH. .gov - 22/03/2006 among the platoon of indicators that may of indicators the platoon among not whether or to gauge in order be devised moving in an environmentally a country is is not direction. Therefore one sustainable .mudr - 20/03/2006; MEPA (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2006. State of the - 20/03/2006; MEPA .shtml – 21/03/2006 .mta.com.mt/uploads/2475/1003/Implementation_of_the_Scheme.doc .mepa.org.mt , January 2006, MEPA, Floriana. , January 2006, MEPA, – 21/03/2006 – 21/03/2006 .un.org/geninfo/bp/enviro.html ater Quality Annual Report 2004 .fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2005/105722/index.html .strategyguide.org/docs/council/2004/STRA-CO(2004)10_E.doc .unep.org/GEO/yearbook/yb2003/092.htm .enemalta.com.mt/page.asp?p=926&l=1 .enemalta.com.mt/page.asp?p=926&l=1 .wsc.com.mt/about_history .un.org/esa/agenda21/natlinfo/countr/malta/eco.htm .un.org/esa/agenda21/natlinfo/countr/malta/index.htm .greenpak.com.mt .wasteservmalta.com .greenpak.com.mt kollha f’Ghawdex’ – www (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2006. State of the Environment Report 2005 (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2006. www Number of site days is defined as the number of sampling sites multiplied by the duration in days. DPH (Department of Public Health). 1997. Bathing W 2004. Bathing W MEPA (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2003. T MEPA Environment Report 2005 The Mediterranean and Black Seas are considered as a single statistical area by the FAO. – The Mediterranean and Black Seas are considered as a single statistical area by the FAO. http://www MEPA (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2006. State of the Environment Report 2005 MEPA (AEI), Sites of Scientif The data presented in chart 5.6 refers to areas which are designated as Areas of Ecological Importance Importance (SSI), Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Areas of International Importance (AII). Importance (SSI), Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Areas of International Importance Sites may be classified under multiple designations. http://www MEPA (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2006. State of the Environment Report 2005 and Planning Authority). 2006. State of the (Malta Environment MEPA The Environment protection Act came into force in 1991 and was amended in 2001. The Development Planning Act came into force in 2001. The Development Planning Act came Act came into force in 1991 and was amended The Environment protection in 1992. Passenger cars include general hire vehicles, motorcycles, private vehicles, self drive cars, self drive motorcycles and taxis. Passenger cars include general hire vehicles, motorcycles, (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2003. T MEPA www http://www MEPA (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2002. Housing T MEPA ‘Direct Action: MEPA removes an illegal scrapyard in Siggiewi’ – www ‘Direct Action: MEPA http://www WSC (Water Services Corporation). 2003. Annual Report 2003 Services Corporation). 2003. WSC (Water the Malta Transport Authority as the regulator and the Association of Public Transport as the operator in conformity with EU as the as the regulator and the Association of Public Transport Authority the Malta Transport securing the se to sustainable levels the government subsidy to the sector, regulations, improving current operations, reducing future needs, and stabilising bus patronage levels to 1995 levels by 2014. I of a bus service which is adequate for current and has been signed between the government and the Association of Public order to reach these aims a preliminary agreement in October 2004. - http://www Transport It must be said that the government is committed to reform the scheduled bus services with the aims of restructuring the roles It must be said that the government is committed http://europa.eu.int/comm/fisheries/news_corner/press/inf05_07_en.htm The rate of loss is calculated from 1983 to 2001, since the figures of arable land for these years are actual, whilst those fro The rate of loss is calculated from 1983 to 2001, to 2000 and from 2002 to 2005 are estimated upon past trends. to 2000 and from 2002 to 2005 are estimated upon lines which Provision Schemes. These were defined by Parliament in 1988 and demarcate the boundary TPS are the Temporary permissible from areas which are considered as ODZ (Outside the Development Zone) separate areas in which urban development is 2005 (Malta Environment and Planning Authority). 2006. State of the Environment Report – MEPA http://www http://www The EU targets have been transposed into local legislation by means of LN 98/04. Up to 2009, 27% of all packaging by weight put The EU targets have been transposed into local legislation by means of LN 98/04. Up to 2009, are set to increase to 52% recovery on the market must be recovered and 21% must be recycled. From 2009 onwards, the targets glass, paper and cardboard. – and 45% recycling. Besides material specific targets for recycling have been set for plastics, www http://www and pass successfully from an environmental audit which is based environmental management systems, products and materials, management systems, products and an environmental audit which is based environmental and pass successfully from buildings and green areas, and guest management, energy use, air quality, water use, noise protection, local culture, waste information. – http://www The resulting documents from UNCED are: Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the Statement of on Environment and Development, the Statement from UNCED are: Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration The resulting documents Biological Change and the United Nations Convention on Nations Framework Convention on Climate Forest Principles, the United Diversity – http://www environme strive continuously to reduce their impact on the to accommodation establishments which This certification is awarded http://www 5. 4. 7. 8. 9. 1. 2. 6. 3. 15. 22. 23. 11. 27. 24. 28. 29. 30. REFERENCES 17. 18. 12. 21. 10. 26. 13. 14. 19. 20. 16. 25. The Sustainable Development Indicators The Sustainable so far as fish landings and fuel imports and fuel as fish landings so far are concerned. few this chapter are just a presented in

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