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UNESCO Adoption of a Declaration on the Conservation of Historic Urban Landscapes
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MEPA Vital Statistics
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Research quantifies increased life and wealth from cleaner air
EU-supported research findings by the Aphekom project (1) show that significant health and monetary benefits could result from further reducing current levels of air pollution in European cities.
Project coordinator, Dr. Sylvia Medina of the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS), said: “Our project shows that compliance with WHO’s annual air-quality guideline on PM2.5 fine particles (10 micrograms/cubic metre) in 25 large European cities (2) could both add up to 22 months of life expectancy for persons 30 years of age and older, and produce 31.5 billion euros in monetary health benefits every year."
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Agriculture - A world in crisis - Report by SeedRock Oct 2010
This year alone, 134 million new mouths will enter the world - more than the entire population of Japan. The inability of farming practices to keep pace with such exploding population growth, compounded by increased protein and caloric demands throughout the developing world, presents an anormous challenge with potentially dire consequences...
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Audit Report 2010/006
Complaint by Ms Astrid Vella concerning the approval of development application PA 7283/07: To sanction alterations from approved permits DN 447/06 and DN 736/06 consisting mainly of the replacing of an approved reservoir to an agricultural store and the provision of landscaping
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MEPA Public Attitudes Survey 2008
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Livestock and Climate Change. What if the key actors in climate change are…cows, pigs, and chickens?
Whenever the causes of climate change are discussed, fossil fuels top the list.Oil, natural gas, and especially coal are indeed major sources of human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs). But we believe that the life cycle and supply chain of domesticated animals raised for food have been vastly underestimated as a source of GHGs, and in fact account for at least half of all human-caused GHGs.
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St. John's Project - Experts Report - Geological Overview of the St John's Co-Cathedral Project
The problem is related to permissible risk in view of the importance of St John's. The following are the geological problems of excavation:
1. Tension cracks in rocks (technically called joints) would be expected to be common at the top of Sceberras Hill where St John's is located.
2. Joints (tensional features) in rock may be expected to decrease with depth, because of greater confining pressure. However, the structural geology of Valletta is also affected by numerous faults of Late Miocene age which are poorly studied. These are clearly visible wherever there are rock outcrops in Valletta. These faults have created stresses in the rocks which release jointing. An example of deep jointing is found in the tunnel linking the Floriana car park to the waterfront. The roof of the tunnel shows classic cases of wedge failure of rock which occurred during or after tunnelling, indicating the presence of joints even at deep levels...
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The Nation's Health, Energy Security and Fossil Fuels - Report Published by The Today Public Policy Institute
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Census 2005 - Census of Population and Housing 2005...
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Air Pollution and Children's Health
Controlling air pollution in the Los Angeles basin presents a challenge unrivaled anywhere in the United States. Local topography and weather conditions are ideally suited to the generation of air pollution. Los Angeles' cherished, yet pollutant-trapping, ring of mountains set the stage for a dilemma long before millions of cars and trucks filled our freeways. Indeed, lore has it that early inhabitants referred to the San Gabriel Valley as the "Valley of Smokes" - and on many days that name still seems apt...
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Environmental Management Construction Site Regulations
EU countries are beginning to incorporate environmental justice clauses into their legislation, and Malta has in fact followed suit with its ratification of the Aarhus Convention. As a result of EU accession, Malta has undertaken to:
“Protect, preserve and improve the state of the environment and to ensure sustainable and environmentally sound development, recognise that adequate protection of the environment is essential to human well-being and the enjoyment of basic human rights, including the right to life itself.
Recognize also that every person has the right to live in an environment adequate to his or her health and well-being, and the duty, both individually and in association with others, to protect and improve the environment for the benefit of present and future generations.”...
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The Quarrying Industry in the Maltese Islands
Limestone rocks are the only mineral resource in the Maltese Islands. Various archaeological sites dating from the Neolithic period, show that limestone has always been an important resource for building purposes. With a population density of 1,194 persons per square kilometre (Government of Malta, 1996) - total surface area being 316 square kilometres. Malta is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.
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Windsor Terrace MEPA Auditors Report
Complaint lodged on 6 November 2006, by Ms Astrid Vella on behalf of Flimkien Ghall-Ambjent Ahjar, concerning the approval of PA 6361/04: "To demolish existing dwelling and erect apartment block with semi-basement garage". An investigation was carried out in terms of Section 17C of the Development Planning Act....
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Ombudsman's Report of MEPA Auditor
Ombudsman finds in favour of the right of Mepa’s Audit Officer to communicate his reports to interested parties, foremost among them complainants, other than Mepa…
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Extract from Auditors Annual Report 2006 - A bleak situation
The Audit Office also notes, with regret, that although substantial illegal development was pointed out to the MEPA, (and also referred to in last years' report), no action whatsoever was taken
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MEPA Audit Report 2006/080
The process leading to MEPA’s recent approval of the Local Plans was subject of a number of complaints, received in the form of letters as well as articles in newspapers. The objections can be grouped under two headings: a) Those related to the decisions taken as to the area which can be developed (e.g. site coverage, height limitation, etc.) and consequently their effect on both existing and proposed development. b) The procedures adopted in the approval of the plan
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Submission re PA 3798/02 Project Description Statement (PDS) for Proposed Qala Creek Project in Gozo
Simply stated, Hondoq ir-Rummien is far out of the Development Zone and under no imaginable pretext can MEPA even start to consider any proposal there by virtue of its own rationale. One of the main justifications of the recently ratified Rationalisation Scheme was the sealing of the development boundaries
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Kummissjoni Ambjent Arcidjocesi ta' Malta- Opinjoni dwar Turizmu Sostenibbli
Matul dawn l-ahhar snin, il-Kummissjoni Ambjent, imwaqqfa fi hdan is-Segretarjat Pastorali Djocesan ta’ l-Arcidjocesi ta’ Malta, qatt ma naqset milli tesprimi l-opinjonijiet taghha fuq temi ambjentali lokali. Fil-kuntest li pajjizna wasal sabiex iniedi l-Istrategija Nazzjonali ghall-Izvilupp Sostenibbli, il-Kummissjoni hasset il-bzonn li tipprezenta din l-OPINJONI dwar it-Turizmu Sostenibbli sabiex taghti l-kontribut taghha f’diskussjoni pubblika li hemm bzonn issir fuq dan is-suggett krucjali u ta’ importanza nazzjonali
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Petizzjoni dwar it-tnaqqis fil-kwalità tal-hajja tal-Maltin u l-Ghawdxin
Ahna c-cittadini w ir-residenti Maltin u Ghawdxin ta' Malta qieghdin nipprotestaw dwar: • Ir-rata ta' bini sfrenat li qieghed isir f'Malta li l-politici, b'nuqqas kbir ta' vizjoni ghall-gejjieni ta' Malta, qeghdin iharsu lejh bhala progress. Din ir-rata ta' bini sfrenat minnflok qieghed jirvina l-qalba tal-irhula, u jiddisturba r-residenti waqt li jitfa' pressjoni insostenibbli fuq l-infrastruttura. Kull fejn thares, djar ta' valur arkitettoniku u storiku qeghdin jinqerdu
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Petition Regarding Loss of Quality of Life for the Residents of the Maltese Islands
We, the Maltese and Gozitan Citizens and Residents of this country, protest about: • The unrestrained building taking place in Malta that politicians, with lack of vision and total short-sightedness are considering progress. This is resulting in villages being ruined by the construction of ugly buildings in their cores, with an upheaval for the inhabitants and pressure on the infrastructure. The quality of our lives is deteriorating, to the point that in every area of Malta houses architectural and historic value are constantly being demolished. New apartment blocks are being built without considering the need for light and air or density of population, while commercial developments are destroying the peace of residential areas
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Children hard-hit by Pollution
Maltese children are among the highest sufferers of asthma and allergies owing to high levels of air pollution, including fine dust emitted from soft stone quarries
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UNESCO Vienna Memorandum
This document contains the Vienna Memorandum adopted by the International Conference “World Heritage and Contemporary Architecture - Managing the Historic Urban Landscape” held from 12 to 14 May 2005 in Vienna, Austria, under the patronage of UNESCO and welcomed by the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee (Durban, 2005)
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Rapport mill-Bord ta’ Inkjesta dwar Il-Kaz tal-Mudslide fix-Xemxija
Ir-rapport jikkonkludi li l-MEPA ghandha responsabbiltà f’dak li gara, jigifieri li sar zvilupp illegali fuq is-sit bil-konsegwenzi li kien hemm, ghaliex naqset li tagixxi b’mod determinat f’azzjoni ta’ infurzar skond il-poteri li taghtiha l-ligi
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Fine dust emissions from softstone quarrying in Malta - Alfred J. Vella and Renato Camilleri
The Lower Globigerina Limestone (softstone) provides stone blocks for the construction industry in Malta: primitive techniques are used to extract and convert limestone into such blocks. An analysis is presented of the work methods and practices employed by the industry, along with estimates of fine respirable dust (PM10) emission from such techniques, to show that the rate of PM10 emission is 0.38 kg of limestone dust per building stone produced
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The Renewable Energy Potential of the Maltese Islands - R.N. Farrugia et al.
The potential of renewable energies is presented for the territory of the Republic of Malta. These are in the main sun, wind and biogas. Taking the base year 2003 for comparing the percentage contribution of electricity generated from renewables to that generated from fossil-fuelled power stations, it was found that rooftop solar photovoltaic systems could produce 9.1%, onshore wind farms could offset 5.4% and the offshore wind potential lies in the region of 3.4%
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Directive 2003/4/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of January 28th 2003, on public access to environmental information and repealing Council Directive 90/313/EEC
Increased public access to environmental information and the dissemination of such information contribute to a greater awareness of environmental matters, a free exchange of views, more effective participation by the public in environmental decision-making and, eventually, to a better environment
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Agriculture in the Maltese Islands, Past and Present - Mark Causon
During the time when first tribes started to settle into settlement areas in the era from 15.000 up to 5.000 BC, agriculture made its first appearance on the earth's surface. Villages and later on cities were being born and civilization took over the times of primitive life bringing about a drastic change on the earth's surface. Since these early times of historical revolutions, people began discovering methods of cultivation of domesticated crops for food
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State of the Environment Report (SOER) 2005 - MEPA and NSO
The objective of the 2005 State of the Environment Report (SOER) is to support progress towards sustainable development by providing credible environmental information to policy makers, organisations and the general public. It should also provide guidance for the development of new policy directions and identify investment requirements in environmental protection and improvement
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MEPA Auditors Report Oct 04 - Sep 05 - Joseph Falzon - MEPA
The current year was the first full year of operation of the Audit Office during which year it handled 739 complaints and requests for information. Requests for information were dealt with immediately. A substantial number of the complaints were brought to a satisfactory conclusion. In addition, the complaints led to 103 investigative reports which were drawn up when in respect of any particular complaint it was identified that there was no possibility of a satisfactory conclusion
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Aarhus Convention
In order to contribute to the protection of the right of every person of present and future generations to live in an environment adequate to his or her health and well-being, each Party shall guarantee the rights of access to information, public participation in decision-making, and access to justice in environmental matters in accordance with the provisions of this Convention
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DIRECTIVE 2003/35/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 26 May 2003 providing for public participation in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment and amending with regard to public participation and access to justice Council Directives 85/337/EEC and 96/61/EC
Community legislation in the field of the environment aims to contribute to preserving, protecting and improving the quality of the environment and protecting human health
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Malta Structure Plan
The Maltese Islands heritage includes a wide variety of items of very high historical and cultural value. Three of
these heritage items have been listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites: the prehistoric Ggantija Temples, the
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum and the historical centre of Valletta.
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Cultural Heritage Act
Chapter 445 of the Laws of Malta
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Development control within urban convervation areas
Design Guidline published July 1995
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Overview of the Scheduling instrument: Section 46 of the Development Planning Act (1992)
Section 46 of the Development Planning Act (1992) requires the Authority to schedule for conservation “buildings, structures and remains of geological, palaeontological, cultural, archaeological, architectural, historical, antiquarian, or artistic or landscape importance, as well as areas of natural beauty, ecological or scientific value”.
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