2015 doldrums

Abstract

The year 2015 will certainly not go in the annals as a red-letter year for our environment. Throughout the incumbent year, in fact, the environmental integrity of our islands was further undermined. Case in point is the Żonqor Point saga, which will constitute the frittering away of 18 hectares (18,000 square metres) of ODZ land, in order to construct a Higher Education Institution (since the University card seems to have shunned, at least for now) which can be easily accommodated in another committed site within the South of the island. This year also witnessed the further desecration of any remnants of environmental authority in this country, with the three Bills – the Environment Protection Bill, the Development Planning Bill and the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal Bill – leading the much-maligned Mepa demerger, making it through Parliament after a series of marathon sittings.