L-ATT DWAR IL-ĦARSIEN TA' L-AMBJENT, 2001

Siltiet minn diskors li g'?amel il-Ministru g'?all-Ambjent Francis Zammit Dimech meta introdu'?a l-Att dwar il-'?arsien ta' l-Ambjent, 2001

Il-Ministru g'?all-Ambjent Francis Zammit Dimech qal li l-Gvern kien qed jistieden lill-pubbliku biex sal-21 ta' Mejju jag'?ti l-kummenti u s-su''erimenti tieg'?u dwar l-Att propost dwar il-'?arsien ta' l-Ambjent u le'islazzjoni sussidjarja li qed tkun ippubblikata. Qal li wara li jkunu kkunsidrati l-kummenti li jaslu mill-pubbliku, jit'?ejja abbozz 'did ta' l-Att biex ikun pre'?entat immedjatament g'?ad-diskussjoni fil-Parlament.

Il-Ministru g'?all-Ambjent qal li l-'?tie'a li jinbidel l-Att pre'?enti dwar il-'?arsien ta' l-Ambjent ilha tin'?ass. Qal li minkejja li l-Att dwar il-'?arsien ta' l-Ambjent meta sar fl-1991 kien meqjus b'?ala avvanzat, l-i'?viluppi mg'?a''la li se'?'?ew f'dan il-qasam wasslu g'?all-'?tie'a ta' qafas aktar flessibbli li jg'?in biex ikun adottat spektrum aktar wiesg'?a ta' le'islazzjoni sussidjarja milli kienet me'?tie'a qabel. Hu qal li n-numru dejjem jikber ta' ftehim legali internazzjonali u re'jonali, li j'ib mieg'?u '?ieda daqshekk kbira fir-responsabiltajiet nazzjonali, jfisser ukoll li l-le'islazzjoni ambjentali g'?andha ti'i a''ornata kontinwament biex tirrifletti '?ti'iet 'odda.

Il-Ministru Francis Zammit Dimech qal li l-g'?an tal-li'i proposta hu li j'?ares u jimmani''ja l-ambjent b'mod sostenibbli. Il-provedimenti tieg'?u tfasslu b'tali mod li ji'?guraw li l-ekwilibrju bejn il-protezzjoni ta' l-ambjent u l-i'?vilupp jintla'?qu permezz ta' l-introduzzjoni ta' drittijiet u dmirijiet li jwasslu g'?al bilan'? tajjeb ta' interessi. Il-li'i proposta tistabilixxi l-mi'?uri u strutturi me'?tie'a f'ka'? li ma jin'?ammx il-bilan'? delikat bejn il-'?arsien ta' l-ambjent u l-i'?vilupp.

Il-Ministru g'?all-Ambjent qal li l-li'i tipprovdi wkoll l-qafas g'?all-adozzjoni sew tal-le'islazzjoni ambjentali Ewropea kif ukoll ta' le'islazzjoni internazzjonali li Malta da'?let g'?alihom skond kif jixraq fi'?-'?irkostanzi partikolari ta' pajji'?na. L-acquis ambjentali jikkonsisti f'aktar minn 200 att li jorbtu legalment u li jkopru prattikkament l-kwestjonijiet ambjentali kollha. Dawn jipprovdu qafas politiku g'?al inizjattivi f'kull livell. Francis Zammit Dimech fakkar li l-li'i ambjentali hi estremament dinamika u tinbidel kontinwament biex tirrifletti tag'?rif xjentifiku u tekniku 'did. Hu qal li l-qafas g'?all-adozzjoni ta' l-acquis g'?andu g'?alhekk jiffissa regoli '?ari fl-istess waqt li jkun bi'?'?ejjed flessibbli biex jista' ji'i adattat g'?al '?irkostanzi li jinbidlu.

Il-Ministru g'?all-Ambjent fisser li l-Att il-'did dwar il-'?arsien ta' l-Ambjent jiddefinixxi l-ambjent b'?ala

"l-elementi u l-kondizzjonijiet kollha li je'?istu fid-dinja, naturali jew mag'?mula mill-bniedem, b'mod partikolari

a. l-arja, l-ilma u l-art;

b. is-saffi kollha ta' l-atmosfera;

c. il-materja kollha organika u inorganika u l-organi'?i kollha '?ajjin;

d. l-ekosistemi kollha; u

e. il-pajsa''."

Il-Ministru Francis Zammit Dimech qal li l-li'i l-'dida tipprovdi il-qafas g'?all-adozzjoni ta' regolamenti dettaljati fuq materji b'?al

'? Emer'enzi ambjentali;

'? G'?anijiet u miri li g'?andhom jintla'?qu u l-parametri sbokki ta' sustanzi li jistg'?u jintemg'?u fl-ambjent;

'? Prevenzjoni u Kontroll Integrat tat-Tni''i'?;

'? L-Immani''jar ta' l-Iskart;

'? Il-Protezzjoni tan-Natura u diversita' Biologika;

'? Organi'?mi '?enetikament Modifikati;

'? Awditjar Ambjentali;

'? A'?'?ess g'?all-Informazzjoni mill-Pubbliku;

'? Environment Impact Assessment.

Il-Ministru g'?all-Ambjent qal li l-Att jimmira wkoll lejn il-promozzjoni tal-parti'?ipazzjoni u involviment pubbliku fi kwestjonijiet ambjentali u jipprote'i d-dritt tal-pubbliku g'?al informazzjoni dwar l-ambjent. L-Att ji'?gura r-responsabbilta' tal-Gvern li ji'bor u jippublika rapporti regolari dwar l-Istat ta' l-Ambjent. Qal li a'?'?ess akbar g'?all-informazzjoni ambjentali g'?andu jwassal ukoll f''?ieda ta' informazzjoni ambjentali u l-promozzjoni ta' l-g'?erf dwar l- ekolo'ija.

Il-Ministru Francis Zammit Dimech fakkar li l-politkka u l-problemi ambjentali qed isiru aktar kumplessi. Qal li hafna problemi huma prodott li jo'?ro' mill-mod kif ng'?ixu. Tenna li lkoll g'?andna responsabilitajiet u rwol fejn jid'?ol il-'?arsien ta' l-ambjent. Qal li l-Att g'?andu l-iskop li jwassal biex ikun hemm bilan'? ta' responsabilitajiet, mod fejn atti li jag'?mlu '?sara lill-ambjent jkunu kontrollati u jekk ikun hemm il-b'?onn anke ikkastigati.

Il-Ministru g'?all-Ambjent qal li mal-Ligi hemm anness sett ta' abbozzi ta' le'islazzjoni sussidjarja dwar t-tni''i'? fl-arja, sustanza li tag'?mel '?sara lis-saff ta' l-ozonu u access ghall-informazzjoni. Dawn se jid'?lu fis-se'?'? ma' l-Att dwar il-'?arsien ta' l-Ambjent.

Il-Ministru Francis Zammit Dimech qal li l-Att hu maqsum fi '?dax il-parti li jitrattaw Affarijiet Preliminari; it-twaqqif ta' Awtorita' kompetenti biex twettaq il-funzjonijiet ta'?t l-istess Att; it-twaqqif ta' Kummissjoni Nazzjonali g'?al '?vilupp Sostenibbli; id-Dover li jkun Im'?ares l-Ambjent; id-Doveri u l-Poteri tal-Ministru; Li'?enzji; Environment Impact Assessment; Fond g'?all-Ambjent; Dritt G'?all-Informazzjoni; Infurzar; u Mixxellanji.

Il-Ministru Francis Zammit Dimech qal li fil-parti ta' l-infurzar ta' dan il-Att hemm l-azzjonijiet li jistg'?u jittie'?du kontra kwalunkwe persuna li tag'?mel '?sara lill-ambjent. Qal li min jag'?mel '?sara lill-ambjent jrid i'?allas lill-Fond g'?all-Ambjent somma flus li tag'?mel tajjeb g'?all-'?sara li tkun saret lill-ambjent u lill-komunita' in'enerali. Din is-somma tkun iffissata jew permezz ta' ftehim jew minn Qorti kompetenti. Dan il-Fond hu kun'?ett innovattiv g'?al-li'i tag'?na li jqieg'?ed fil-prattika il-polluter pays principle.

THE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT, 2001

Extracts from speech by the Hon. Dr. Francis Zammit Dimech, Minister for the Environment, when he introduced to the Media The Environment Protection Act, 2001

Dr. Francis Zammit Dimech, Minister for the Environment, announced that the proposed Environment Protection Act and subsidiary legislation relating thereto is being published so that the general public may submit comments and suggestions by Monday 21 May 2001. An amended draft, taking into consideration the comments received by the public, will then be presented to Parliament for its consideration immediately thereafter.

The Minister for the Environment said that the need for a new law to replace the current Environment Protection Act has been felt for a long time. He said that although when the Environment Protection Act of 1991 was adopted it was considered to be very advanced, the rapid developments in this area have resulted in the need for a more flexible framework which will enable the adoption of a wider range of subsidiary legislation than was previously necessary. He added that the increasing number of international and regional legal agreements with the corresponding increase in national commitments also mean that environment legislation must be constantly updated to reflect new need.

Dr Francis Zammit Dimech said that the objective of the proposed Bill is to protect and manage the environment in a sustainable manner. Its provisions have been formulated in such a manner as to ensure that equilibrium between the protection of the environment and development is achieved through the inclusion of rights and duties that strike a proper balance of interests. The proposed Bill establishes the necessary measures and structures to deal with the situation, if and when this delicate balance is disrupted.

The Minister for the Environment said that the Bill also provides a framework for the adoption of both European environment legislation and of international commitments which Malta has undertaken in a manner that is best suited to Malta's particular circumstances. He said that the environment acquis consists of over 200 legally binding acts covering practically all environmental issues and provides a policy framework for initiatives at all levels. Environmental law is extremely dynamic and constantly changing to reflect new scientific and technical knowledge. The framework for its adoption must therefore set clear rules while being flexible enough to adapt to changing circumstances.

Dr Francis Zammit Dimech added that the new Environment Protection Act defines its field of application, the environment, as:

"the whole of the elements and conditions, natural and man made, existing on earth, in particular

a. the air, water and land;

b. all the layers of the atmosphere;

c. all organic and inorganic matter and all living organisms;

d. all ecosystems; and

e. the landscape."

The Minister for the Environment said that the Environment Protection Act, 2001 provides for the framework for the adoption of detailed regulations on such issues as:

'? Environmental emergencies;

'? Objectives and goals to be achieved and the maximum quantities and discharges of substances in the environment;

'? Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control;

'? The Management of Waste;

'? Nature Protection and Biological diversity;

'? Genetically Modified Organisms;

'? Environmental Audits;

'? Access to Information by the public;

'? Environment Impact Assessment.

Dr. Francis Zammit Dimech said that the Act also aims at the promotion of public participation and involvement in environmental concerns protecting the public's right to information on the environment and ensuring that the Government is responsible for the compilation and publication of regular State of the Environment reports.

The Minister for the Environment said that environmental policy-making and problems are becoming more complex. Many problems are a by-product of the way we live. We all have responsibilities an a role to play with regards to environment protection and the Act aims at achieving a balance of responsabilities, a means wherby acts which are harmful to the environment are controlled and, if need be, punished.

The Minister for the Environment added that, annexed to the proposed Bill is a set of draft subsidiary legislation relating to air pollution, substances that deplete the ozone layer and access to information. This subsidiary legislation will be adopted in terms of the proposed Bill, once it is approved by Parliament.

The Minister said that the Act is divided in ten parts: Preliminary; the Authority which is to carry the functions as a competent Authority under the new Act; the National Commission for Sustainable Development; Duty to Protect the Environment; Duties and Powers of the Minister; Licences; Environment Impact Assessment; The Environment Fund; Right to Information; Enforcement; and Miscellaneous.

Dr Francis Zammit Dimech said that the Environment Fund is a laudable new concept which renders the draft bill unique on a local level and relatively avant-garde on a international level. Environment funds are a practical way of implementing the polluter pays principle. Such funds must be then utilised for the purposes connected to the protection of the environment. The Fund shall be managed by a Board appointed by the Authority.

When speaking about enforcement, Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said the proposed Bill sets out the actions which may be taken against any person who causes damage to the environment. He said the offender shall be liable to pay the fund a sum which makes good the damage caused to the environment and suffered by the community in general. Such sum shall be fixed either by agreement or by the competent Court of law.