CoR - Malta Environment and fight against climate change

Central level

The Ministry for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning (mainly its Directorate for the Environment and Climate Change) is responsible for:

Legislation and policy formulation on the protection of the environment, including:

Air;
Water;
Noise;
Sustainable development;
Planning;
Chemical accidents;
Collaboration with other governments and entities;
Biological diversity;
Pollution;
Waste management;
Climate change;

Coordination and implementation of national, EU, and international obligations and targets, particularly on:

Climate policy mitigation and adaption;
Environmental policy, i.e.: waste management; ambient environmental quality issues; conservation and biodiversity matters; and coordination of Green Public Procurement;

Implementation of the National Environmental Policy

The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), set up in 2016, is the regulatory agency responsible for the natural environment in Malta. The ERA is responsible for:

the protection and management of the environment and sustainable management of natural resources, and the prevention, mitigation, offsetting or remediation of adverse effects on the environment;
formulating and implementating policies relating to the protection and management of the environment and the sustainable management of natural resources.
carrying out and or commissioning of surveys, studies, assessments, investigations, audits, monitoring and promote research on any matter relating to the environment and the natural resources.
providing information and issuing guidelines to the public and to commercial and other entities on matters relating to the environment and the said natural resources;
establishing measures for the protection of the environment and to promote the efficient use of natural resources;
ensuring that national and international obligations are entered into force and complied with;
permitting, assessing, investigating, auditing, monitoring, and taking action on, any activity, intervention, project, operation or and use that may have an effect on the environment;
advising the Minister on international legislation and on the formulation of national policy;
carrying out, reviewing or requesting others to carry out environmental assessments, environmental audits and environmental monitoring of activities and works having an impact on the environment.

Regional level

The Regional Councils are responsible for:

Protection of the natural and urban environment of the region;

Good waste management;

Climate change initiatives;

Provision of assistance to local councils within the region to benefit and successfully manage programmes which are funded by the European Union.

Local level

The Local Councils are responsible for:

Protection of the natural and urban environment of the locality;

Measures ensuring good waste management;

Climate change initiatives.

Responsible ministries/bodies