Mainstreaming climate change policy in Malta into sectoral activities

Abstract

Climate change is currently a much debated issue and is one of the greatest challenges facing the world's environment, society and economy today. As climate change appears to be inevitable, and the need to mitigate and adapt to our changing climate becomes more pressing, people must modify the ways in which they live and behave. Consequently, the focus of this study is on adaptation to climate change, an issue which has largely been overlooked to date, and which needs to be mainstreamed into the present institutional policies. Being islands, Malta and Gozo are particularly vulnerable to the suite of impacts resulting the expected impacts of climate change and to ensure people, property, infrastructure and biodiversity can adapt to climate change in the future. This study assesses levels of awareness and concern of the general public and of institutional stakeholders regarding climate change issues in the Maltese lslands, based on the rationale that informed awareness is a prerequisite for successful adaptation. Furthermore this research also reviews and evaluates actions being taken, or planned, by government sectors and private institutions, if any, in order to combat climate change, thus enabling an evaluation of institutional capacity tor adaptation.