https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6274 2026-10-25T07:55:52Z 2026-10-25T07:55:52Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150274 2026-10-20T13:09:23Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Aware but absent : understanding Maltese youth disengagement from environmental activism Abstract: Despite widespread environmental awareness among young people, participation in collective environmental activism remains persistently low. This qualitative study investigates the barriers deterring Maltese youth aged 18–24 from engaging in environmental activism, where political culture, small-island social dynamics, and limited qualitative research create a distinct gap in the literature. Four semi-structured focus groups were conducted with 26 participants reporting limited or no prior involvement in environmental activism, and data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's (2006, 2021) thematic analysis framework. Four key themes were identified: distrust in political institutions and a belief that activism produces little tangible change; heightened concerns about reputational and professional consequences within Malta's small, interconnected society; a tendency to individualise environmental responsibility, favouring low-risk private behaviours over collective action; and structural barriers including time pressures, transport limitations, and weak institutional support. The findings challenge dominant interpretations of the awareness–action gap, suggesting that youth disengagement is better understood as a rational, contextually grounded response to perceived inefficacy, social risk, and structural constraint, rather than apathy. The study contributes to debates on political trust, civic individualisation, and small-state activism, and offers recommendations for NGOs, educators, and policymakers seeking to bridge the gap between environmental concern and active participation. Description: B.Sc. (Hons)(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150272 2026-10-20T13:07:06Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Investigating the factors affecting the PM2.5/PM10 ratio with a view to improving PM10 measurements from particle deposition data Abstract: Monitoring of Airborne Particulate Matter (APM) in Malta is carried out at five fixed gravimetric stations, as is mandated by EU Directive 2024/288. Financial and logistical constraints limit expanding this network, prompting the use of low-cost passive deposition samplers, like the Sigma-2, for high-resolution spatial data. These samplers estimate PM10 concentrations by scaling naturally deposited coarse fractions using a PM2.5/PM10 ratio derived from nearby reference stations as a scaling factor. Consequently, the accuracy of this method depends on the predictive precision of the scale factor. This study evaluates how Saharan dust events, seasonality, and station type (spatial variability) influence the PM2.5/PM10 ratio, aiming to optimize scale factor determination and improve dry deposition measurement accuracy. Using daily PM10 and PM2.5 data from the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), group comparisons and permutation-based ANOVA testing were carried out to quantify the impacts of these factors on particulate concentrations and their ratio. All factors tested were found to produce significant effects on the ratio, although station type was found to be the primary driver of variance. However, the selection of the optimal scaling approach is based on predictive performance rather than variance explanation alone. To identify the optimal regression technique to be utilised when determining the ratio, the predictive accuracies of different scale factors when applied to a test subset were evaluated by comparing scaled estimates to observed values. The scale factors utilised were equivalent to the gradient values obtained when a training dataset was fit to the following regression models: OLS, Theil-Sen, orthogonal and quantile. When applied to the full dataset, performance differences between the models were found to be marginal, however when applied to station-specific subsets Theil-Sen consistently produced the lowest error metrics. Thus, the incorporation of station-specific data and the application of robust regression techniques, such as Theil–Sen, is expected to improve the accuracy of PM₁₀ estimates derived from dry deposition methods. Description: B.Sc. (Hons)(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150271 2026-10-20T13:01:06Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: A meteorological analysis of recent extreme weather events in Bulgaria Abstract: Climate change is altering the background conditions in which weather and climate extremes occur, with important consequences for ecosystems, infrastructure, human health and economies (IPCC, 2021; European Environment Agency, 2025). Against this broader climatic context, this dissertation examines three recent extreme-weather events in Bulgaria: the Kresna wildfire of 24-29 August 2017, the Sofia flash flood of 6-7 July 2020, and the severe hailstorm of 29 May 2022. It adopts a comparative event-based framework to show how differing atmospheric mechanisms can generate very different hazards within the same national setting. The Kresna case is interpreted as a multi-day fire-weather episode shaped by heat, dryness, lack of rainfall and wind. The Sofia case is analysed as a localised convective flood affecting an urban environment, where the key lesson is that reanalysis point rainfall alone is insufficient to explain impact. The hailstorm case highlights the combined role of instability, moisture, vertical motion and upper-level support, with independent severe-weather sources confirming that hail occurred. Across all three cases, it is argued that reliable interpretation depends on triangulating different products rather than relying on a single model field. The findings show that Bulgarian extreme weather is best understood through hazard-specific analysis that links atmospheric conditions, local setting and impact verification. This approach offers a clearer basis for interpreting fire-weather risk, convective flooding and severe hail in Bulgaria, and it demonstrates the value of combining reanalysis, archive maps and independent event evidence in the assessment of extreme weather. Description: B.Sc. (Hons)(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150269 2026-10-20T12:51:16Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Mapping maritime pollution risk and coastal vulnerability around Malta Abstract: Maritime transport is essential to global trade and island connectivity, but it also creates persistent environmental risks for coastal states located near major shipping corridors. Malta is particularly exposed because of its central Mediterranean position, proximity to dense cargo and tanker traffic, and dependence on coastal resources, tourism, fisheries, and marine infrastructure. This project assessed maritime pollution risk and coastal vulnerability around the Maltese Islands by integrating Automatic Identification System (AIS) vessel-position data, OpenDrift oil-spill simulations, and GIS-based shoreline exposure mapping. AIS data were used to identify two maritime corridors of interest; an offshore northern corridor, and a nearshore south-eastern corridor. Randomized release points were generated within these corridor boundaries and used as starting locations for OpenDrift/OpenOil simulations of a 10 cubic meters generic diesel release under selected wind, wave, and surface-current conditions. Model outputs were exported as particle trajectory data and mapped in GIS to evaluate offshore dispersion, nearshore movement, and coastal-contact patterns. Results showed that offshore scenarios generally remained separated from the Maltese coastline during the modelled period, while nearshore scenarios produced greater coastal relevance, including trajectories moving adjacent to Malta and particles classified as stranded or coastal-contact points. Coastal-contact locations were spatially uneven, with exposure concentrated along selected eastern, south-eastern, and southern shoreline sectors. These findings indicate that maritime pollution risk around Malta is shaped by the interaction between vessel location, environmental forcing, release proximity, and coastal receptors. The workflow provides a spatial decision-support framework for monitoring, emergency-response planning, and future coastal vulnerability assessment. Description: MSc. (EMS)(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z