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“This is the moment for us to understand who we are, what we believe in, and where we want to take our country," Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning Aaron Farrugia said as he launched the vision for the National Strategy for the Environment (NSE) and the process for the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED) revision. 

The Minister said that the time has come to place the environment and quality of life at the top of the country's priorities, with a vision until 2050. To this end, the economy, social wellbeing, and the environment will be placed on the same level in every decision that is taken. 

“The outgoing National Environmental policy has established the basic foundations towards achieving environmental sustainability. It is now time to step up a gear and boldly put forward a comprehensive strategy for the environment with a long-term horizon of 2050," Minister Farrugia said.

He explained that Malta had adopted its very first spatial plan for environment and development in 2015, which aimed to improve the quality of all aspects of the rural and urban environment in a holistic manner and to give rise to all the policies which regulate the decisions of the Planning Authority. The revision of this strategy will give experts and the public the opportunity to provide the foundations for the analysis of the direction the country is taking, through an extensive public consultation process and specific studies. 

On the other hand, the NSE will guide all other policies for the next thirty years to prioritise quality of life and wellbeing. 

ERA CEO Michelle Piccinino said that a fundamental change brought about through the setting up of the ERA, is a policy framework that has the environment at its core. “It is therefore with great satisfaction that we are announcing the first draft of the Vision for the National Strategy for the Environment - Wellbeing First - 2050. This vision will guide us towards achieving progress with a better quality of life. The aim of the Authority is that this strategy achieves a balance and synergy between environmental, social and economic dimensions. All this requires a change in our daily lives. This does not mean that we will have to do without any of our commodities, but that what we can afford today we will be able to keep on doing in a way which respects the environment as a society and will still be enjoyed by future generations," she said. 

Martin Saliba, Chairperson of the Planning Authority's Executive Council, said that countries around the globe, including ours, are passing through many transitional changes and facing new challenges and realities on various fronts. “The economic, social and environmental realities of today and tomorrow are changing, and so the time is opportune for us to initiate the review of the 2015 SPED document. The SPED is a keystone document since it gives strategic direction to the sustainable management of our country's land and sea resources. We will ensure that throughout the entire process of this review we will extensively consult with all stakeholders. This we consider to be crucial, so as to ensure that this strategic document will provide a vision and innovative thematic policy solutions which find a balance between economic growth, the wellbeing of citizens and the protection of the environment." ​