EU: Malta “good on biodiversity, bad on energy and climate”
TINNews
The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) has published an assessment of the performance of the Maltese Presidency of the EU, in relation to environmental issues. The assessment based on Ten Green Tests showed that Malta has performed well in relation to nature protection, but badly when it comes to measures to tackle climate change or transform energy system.
Key findings
- Malta took quick action to support implementation of the EU Action Plan for Nature, People and the Economy once it was published in April.
- On climate change, Malta was too accommodating of Member States’ requests and efforts to create loopholes in relation to the Effort Sharing Regulation and did not adjust the ambition upwards to account for the Paris Agreement.
- The Maltese Presidency oversaw the weakening of the Energy Efficiency Directive with a move away from a binding 30 per cent energy efficiency target.
- In the negotiations on the revision of the waste legislation, the Maltese Presidency put forward proposals aimed at aligning the Council position with that of the least ambitious Member States, leading to recycling targets being watered down and prevention and preparation-for-reuse targets being ignored with no mention at all of targets for food waste or marine litter.
- Under the Maltese Presidency, the Council called on the Commission to publish an implementation strategy by next year for the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.
Credit : EBB
The EEB is the largest network of environmental citizens’ organisations in Europe, with more than 140 members in over 30 countries.
Every six months at the rotation of the EU Presidency, the EEB publishes an assessment of the outgoing presidency and Ten Green Tests for the incoming presidency.
