Author: Edward John Gauci

Masterplan needed for Marsa and the inner Grand Harbour area

  • The Church Environment Commission (KA) would like to highlight the current opportunities and risks facing Marsa and the inner Grand Harbour area, and is recommending that an updated vision and a masterplan, based on a sound public consultation process, be drawn up for this important area to enable it to reach its full potential in an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable manner in the best public interest…

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Statement by the Environment Commission about Villa St Ignatius in St Julian’s

  • Il‑Kummissjoni Interdjoċesana Ambjent (KA) għal darb’oħra tħeġġeġ lill‑awtoritajiet jieħdu l‑miżuri kollha għad‑dispożizzjoni tagħhom biex ma jħallux il‑ġenn li nibnu akkost ta’ kollox ikompli jagħmina, hekk li nħarbtu saħansitra dak li jagħtina identità ta’ poplu. Għall‑kuntrarju, jeħtieġ naħdmu biex nippreservaw il‑wirt arkitettoniku mill‑ferneżija ta’ twaqqiegħ ta’ bini, u mill‑konverżjoni ta’ bini eżistenti f’appartamenti, li wliedna jridu jissallbu biex jikru jew jixtru, bi gwadann għall‑ispekulaturi…

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Planning for today for the few – Not for tomorrow for everyone

  • On the occasion of World Town Planning Day (8th November 2017) the Church Environment Commission (KA) reflects on the current state of development planning in the country and is concerned, as it has been for the last years, about the direction that planning in Malta has taken. If we do not consider the wellbeing of future generations, we run the risk of even forgetting the current one and give an implicit or explicit licence to the powerful few to trample over the rights of everybody else, particularly the weak and vulnerable…

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Respect for life in all its aspects – Church Environment Commission

  • On the occasion of the Season of Creation, the Church Environment Commission (KA) wishes to share some thoughts inspired by Pope Francis’ Encyclical Laudato Si’, on the value of Life and the need to respect it in all its aspects. This in a time when many end up accepting fallacies and misconceptions presented in the media, which are nothing but a distortion of reality…

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The Environment Commission on the value of trees

  • There are various references to trees in the Bible, including some that refer to the “tree of life”. Apart from their metaphorical meanings, trees do provide a great service to humankind. Their greatest contribution is much closer to home than the inspiration that they provided and continue to provide to poets, painters and musicians over the ages. Apart from providing the raw material for various goods they also provide an immense service in the form of carbon sequestration, reducing pollution, shelter from the sun, recreational space where people can interact with nature and the obvious aesthetic value both in rural as well as urban areas…

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Twenty proposals to political parties for the 2017 general election

  • The Church Environment Commission (KA) appeals to political parties so that during this
    pre-election time, they do not make unsustainable promises which later on will turn out to be detrimental to all especially to the most vulnerable. The KA appeals to the parties to promise that in the environmental sector they will commit themselves so that, with facts and with laws and policies that contain no loopholes which give rise to abuse, to protect the natural environment, the Outside Development Zones, the historical built heritage and buildings that have architectural value…

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Il-kollass tat-Tieqa tad-Dwejra għandu jiftħilna bieb biex nirriflettu fuq il-patrimonju nazzjonali

  • Ir‑reazzjonijiet tal‑politiċi u tal‑pubbliku għall‑kollass tat‑Tieqa tad‑Dwejra għandhom iġegħluna nirriflettu fuq l‑attitudnijiet tagħna lejn il‑patrimonju naturali, storiku, u arkitettoniku ta’ Malta u Għawdex. Li t‑Tieqa ċediet hija parti minn proċess naturali li kien mistenni. Il‑mistoqsija minn dejjem kienet “meta” u mhux “jekk” kinitx se taqa’. Il‑poplu u l‑politiċi jħossu li l‑pajjiż tilef parti mill‑patrimonju nazzjonali. U bir‑raġun!

    Dan l‑avveniment iżda għandu jħeġġiġna, kemm ċittadini u kemm politiċi, biex nistaqsu mistoqsijiet pertinenti dwar x’qegħdin nagħmlu biex nimmaniġġaw b’mod sostenibbli r‑riżorsi li għad fadlilna…

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The study by MDA on property development cannot substitute a national property study by Government

  • The Church Environment Commission (KA), whilst acknowledging the benefits of a study on Property Development such as that commissioned by the Malta Developers Association (MDA), stresses that the government and the competent authorities, including the Planning Authority, should still take the initiative and launch a national study on property, as they are duty bound to do. Such a study would go beyond the interests pertaining to a particular section of Maltese society, in that it would take into account every aspect related to the quality of life of one and all…

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Statement by the Interdiocesan Commission for the Environment about the Application for an IPPC Permit at Delimara

  • Tomorrow, Monday 19th December 2016, the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) is expected to make its decision on the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) application for the “renewal and variation of the IPPC permit to include the operation of Delimara 1, Delimara 2a and 2b, Delimara 3 (conversion from HFO to Natural Gas), Delimara 4 CGGT and LNG Terminal”.

    The Kummissjoni Interdjoċesana Ambjent (KA) sadly notes that, once again, an issue of national importance, in this case the generation of electricity, is being turned into a political one…

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