Category: ERA Awards

ERA honours environmental campaigners and green leaders with new awards

Environmental journalist Anne Zammit honoured with ERA’s Buonamico Award – four new awards introduced in 2025 edition

The Environment and Resources Authority honoured one of Malta’s long-standing environmental journalists with the Buonamico Award, which recognises individuals whose actions benefit the environment.

The ERA Awards, organised by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) at the Verdala Castle, under the patronage of H.E. Myriam Spiteri Debono, President of Malta, spotlight individuals driving meaningful environmental change.

Anne Zammit (b.1953), an active member of Maltese environmental NGOs since her permanent move to the island in 1971, was awarded the Buonamico Award for her journalism on environmental matters, which until 2019 appeared as a bi-weekly column in The Sunday Times of Malta.

Once in Malta she fully immersed herself in conservation, joining local environmental societies, organising clean-up campaigns and launching environmental publications. She also became a member of the Malta Society for the Study and Conservation of Nature and the Malta Ornithological Society – later BirdLife.

During her speech after awarding the Buonamico Award to Anne Zammit, H.E. Myriam Spiteri Debono, President of Malta, recognised ERA’s role in promoting the conservation and safeguarding the local environment, and its efforts to create a generational change in mentality by fostering commitments to ERA’s mission from all sectors of society.

The President also emphasised the importance of ongoing discussion in Malta to engage and promote active and continuous interchange with citizens in the decision making process that directly impacts our natural and urban environment. It is this interchange that guarantees participation by the populace in decision making processes.

Nature educationalist Saviour Bonnici was awarded with the Special Recognition Award, for his indefatigable role in producing the documentary TV programme ‘Natura Maltija – WildLife Malta’ – now in its 12th year of production. His footage of rare sightings of Maltese weasels or the hatching of loggerhead turtle eggs have reached thousands of Maltese viewers and are used at the school he works in for the pilot subject of Nature Education.

ERA chairman Vincent Cassar hailed this year’s edition of the ERA awards as a special one, with four new awards introduced to recognise people and organisations for their contribution to Maltese biodiversity and environment, apart from the Special Recognition Award, which was introduced in the 2024 edition.

“The variety of projects and initiatives, as well as the diversity of our awardees, confirms the many different facets of the lived experience that is the environment, and the biodiversity that ERA strives to protect,” Vincent Cassar said.

The semiconductor giant STMicroelectronics Malta was awarded the Corporate Award for Environmental Innovation and Sustainability, for having saved over 100,000 cubic metres of raw water consumption through the recycling of industrial wastewater and domestic sewage, instead of being discharged into the public sewer system.

BirdLife Malta was honoured with the Environmental Stewardship Award, having led the restoration of the Salina Wetland, one of Malta’s rarest and most ecologically significant coastal habitats. The 11,300-sq.m wetland was restored following the removal of invasive plant species in favour of indigenous vegetation: in a landmark outcome, the Reed Warbler successfully bred in the area following an absence of 13 years – a clear indicator of improved habitat conditions.

The Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools received the Green Public Leadership Award for its redevelopment of Msida’s Achille Ferris Primary School, which was reborn as a greener, community-friendly space with new facilities, outdoor areas, and sustainability at its heart.

The St Dorothy’s Senior School in Ħaż-Żebbuġ was awarded the Green School ward for its EkoSkola committee. Awarded six consecutive green flags for its waste separation and food waste projects, the school has now developed organic farming methods for its vegetable patch. As the Award winners in this category ERA will be funding the school’s future project up to 10,000 euro.

Through this support the school intends to carry out restoration on an abandoned greenhouse and invest in systems to bring an old reservoir back into use. This will move their plans from paper to reality and they will be able to grow food in a truly sustainable way, while continuing to educate all students about eco-conscious agriculture, the impact of certain agricultural practices.

28 August 2025

Dr. Godwin Cassar and Mr. Vincent Gauci are this year’s awardees of the ERA’s prestigious Buonamico Award.

The Buonamico Award is a yearly award-giving ceremony held under the patronage of H.E. The President of Malta, which distinguishes individuals whose actions and achievements benefited our biodiversity and the environment.

This prestigious award has been inspired by Malta’s first naturalist, Giovanni Francesco Buonamico, who had recognized the importance of our natural environment in the 17th century. His varied intellectual interests resulted in the writing of at least four important manuscripts on natural history including the first flora of the Maltese Islands, the so-called “Brevis Notitia” manuscripts which acted as the basis for today’s modern reference books.

Buonamico’s role was pivotal for an environmental regulator’s perspective, with scientific evidence based work as the basis of all decision taking measures, to assure correct implementation to safeguard the Environment from a legislative perspective.

This year, the ERA board has chosen two distinguished members of the public who’s role had contributed towards the protection and the betterment of the Maltese environment.

Dr Godwin Cassar, who served for several decades within the public service and contributed in a significant manner, advocating the need for comprehensive spatial planning, is one of  the recipient of this year’s Buonamico Award. He was instrumental in the late-1980s and 1990s in pioneering the establishment of the Planning Authority, later to be known as the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA). He spearheaded the formulation of a comprehensive Structure Plan for the Maltese Islands, Local Plans and several urban development and regeneration briefs.

Godwin was born in Valletta in 1948 and graduated as an Architect from the University of Malta in 1971. After two years in private practice, he spent thirty-five years in the public service, twelve of which were in public-sector housing development and a short spell of two-and-a-half years in roads development. Between 1987-1992 the focus of all his initiatives was the establishment of an effective up-to-date and comprehensive land-use planning system, including the development of a legislative, institutional and policy base incorporating a ‘state of the art’ national mapping function.

With the Works Department reform in 1992, he assumed the Directorship of the Planning Services Department which was subsequently hived off in October 1992 to become the Planning Authority where he was appointed Director of Planning/Chief Executive. Subsequent to the incorporation in 2000 of the then Environment Directorate within the Planning Authority which then became known as the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) he was appointed as its Director General which post he held until his retirement in 2009.

Godwin is a Chartered Town Planner and Architect and Civil Engineer by profession. He graduated as Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Malta in 1971, completed a postgraduate diploma at the Bowcentrum International Education (Rotterdam) in Housing, Planning & Building in 1975 and was a 1991 Salzburg Fellow. He was elected Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute in January 1996 and in April of the same year he was elected Fellow of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

In July 1998 he was awarded the Honorary Doctorate by the Central University of England (Birmingham). Moreover, he served as a member of several local and international committees amongst which are the Senior Committee of Officials European Conference of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning (CEMAT); Chairman Minerals Advisory Board; member of the National Commission for Sustainable Development; member of the Church Commission on Cultural Heritage and member of the EU expert group on Urban Environment.

Godwin is also the recipient of the Planning Authority’s 2019 President’s Award for ‘Outstanding achievement for services related to the Architectural and Spatial Planning’.

Mr. Vincent Gauci has also been awarded the prestigious Buonamico Award this year. Mr Gauci graduated in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Malta in 1967.  The following year, he was awarded a World Health Organisation scholarship to read Applied Hydrobiology at the University of London.  A year later, he was awarded a Masters Degree with a mark of Distinction.

Mr. Gauci started his carrier in the Public Service as a Water Bacteriologist in connection with the World Health Organisation Project on Waste Disposal and Water Supply.  From 1983 to 1997, he carried out pioneer work in the field of liquid and solid waste treatment.  Mr Gauci participated in several activities both locally and abroad in connection with the Mediterranean Action Plan.

As Director of the Environment Protection Department (EPD) during the period 1997 to 2002, he was responsible for biodiversity protection, pollution control and waste management.  He drafted legislation, advised Government on environmental matters and formed part of official delegations in connection with Malta’s accession to the European Union.  Following the merger between the EPD and the Planning Authority in 2002, Mr. Gauci was appointed Assistant Director in the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA), responsible inter alia for waste management regulation and environmental impact assessment.

Following his retirement from the Public Service in 2008, Mr. Gauci acted as an environmental consultant as well as a lecturer at the University of Malta, MCAST, Water Services Corporation and Wasteserv Malta Ltd.

ERA Chairman, Prof. Victor Axiak, thanked the nominees for their invaluable contributions to the environment and their exemplary role in protecting the environment through their outstanding knowledge and commitment.

Both His Excellency Dr. George Vella, the President of Malta and Professor Victor Axiak, ERA’s Chairman, congratulated the winners and their families, whilst thanking them for their priceless efforts towards the environment and for bravely spearheading initiatives that started to bring about societal change within Malta and amongst the Maltese.

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15 October 2022

Mr Costantino Mifsud and Mr Louis Vella are this year’s awardees of ERA’s prestigious Buonamico Award.

The Buonamico Award is a yearly award-giving ceremony held under the patronage of H.E. President of Malta which distinguishes individuals whose actions and achievements benefited our biodiversity and the environment.

This prestigious award has been inspired by Malta’s first naturalist, Giovanni Francesco Buonamico, who had recognized the importance of our natural environment in the 17th century. His varied intellectual interests resulted in the writing of at least four important manuscripts on natural history including the first flora of the Maltese Islands, the so-called “Brevis Notitia” manuscripts which acted as the basis for today’s modern reference books.

Buonamico’s role was pivotal for an environmental regulator’s perspective, with scientific evidence based work as the basis of all decision taking measures, to assure correct implementation to safeguard the Environment from a legislative perspective.

This year, the ERA board has chosen two distinguished members of the public whose role had direct impacts on out natural environment and biodiversity.

A teacher by profession, Mr Costantino Mifsud’s interests in the study of the Maltese natural history was sparked during his youth when he worked with his father at their fields in Buskett. Mr Mifsud recalls carrying a copy of A. Valletta’s Know the Trees and later on, consulting publications by Guido Lanfranco.

Mr Mifsud has been contributing to the research on local marine fauna for the majority of his life. In the 1990s, he was introduced to the systematics and taxonomy by Mr Charles Cachia which further contributed to his research. A main interest of Mr Mifsud is in the parasites of the marine animals, especially those on the echinoderms. His remarkable contributions as author and co-author on various publications span decades, from 1986 to the present day, and include descriptions of several species which had been hitherto unknown to science.

Mr Louis Vella’s immense multidisciplinary experience and his involvement in several crucial roles lead to several breakthrough developments in Malta.

Vella’s work within the Department of Health led to the discovery of the source of chronic lead poisoning in the Maltese population which came from the use of waste oils in bakeries. He ran the Recompression Chamber establishing a proper basis for safer recreational diving and played vital roles in occupational health issues arising from the use of chemicals in local industrial situations as well as tackling emerging problems connected with industrial and toxic waste disposal. He was appointed as the first director of the newly setup Environment Protection Department until 1997 were he started operations for a mobile air monitoring station which provided the first reliable date on continuous atmospheric pollution monitoring using recognised methodology whilst playing a vital role in landfill management

Vella made important contributions as a member of various boards and committees including the Clean Air Board, the Radiation Protection Board, the Scientific Committee of the Civil Protection Department and a board member of the Planning Authority. He also represented Malta in various fora, either as a delegate or as Head of Delegation with his last role before definitive retirement as a member Compliance Committee of the Barcelona Convention.

ERA Chairman, Prof. Victor Axiak, thanked the nominees for their invaluable contributions to the environment and their exemplary role in protecting the environment through their outstanding knowledge and commitment.

During his speech, His Excellency George Vella, the President of Malta stated that:

“Both Mr Vella and Mr Mifsud have worked in areas where their research subject or work is almost done behind the scenes. This does not mean that it does not exist or is not important. On the contrary, they have often been pioneers in imparting knowledge about our natural heritage. They played a vital role in raising awareness on the damage caused by the negative impact that environmental pollution leaves both on the quality of life of citizens and on our country’s natural heritage”

Both His Excellency George Vella, the President of Malta and, Professor Victor Axiak, ERA’s Chairman, congratulated the winners and their families, whilst thanking them for their priceless efforts towards the environment and for bravely spearheading initiatives that started to bring about societal change within Malta and amongst the Maltese.

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2 October 2021

Ms Jennifer Fiorentino and Mr Alfred Micallef are this year’s Buonamico Award winners. The Buonamico Award is a yearly award-giving ceremony under the patronage of H.E. President of Malta to honour individuals who have made significant contribution to our knowledge and/or management of local biodiversity and environmental resources. Giovanni Francesco Buonamico was a 17th century Maltese naturalist, whose varied intellectual interests resulted in the writing of at least four important manuscripts on natural history. These included the first flora of the Maltese Islands, the so-called “Brevis Notitia” manuscripts.

Jennifer Fiorentino started her career in science as a teacher of biology and physics at the seminary back in 1976. Throughout the years she continued her teaching at various educational levels, with her teaching General Science at Siggiewi Girls’ Secondary School (1982-1983), A level Biology at G.F. Abela Upper Secondary (1983-1995) and was Senior Lecturer in Biology at the University Junior College (1995-2018).

During the 90s she was also a part-time Coordinator of the Biological Diversity & Genetic Resources Network of the  Malta Council for Science & Technology (MCST) during which period she served as Maltese Government representative at four UN Conferences dealing with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). While at MCST, she was also involved in discussions leading to the transfer of the Argotti Botanic Gardens and Herbarium from Government to University.

For the past couple of decades she has been identifying local lichens growing mainly on rocks, trees and soil. During this time, she has authored several scientific publications and various popular articles on lichens besides delivering lectures on the subject. More recently following a request by ERA, Fiorentino has also compiled a Red List of lichens of the Maltese Islands.

Her research will ultimately lead to the publication of a much-needed new checklist of the lichens of the Maltese Islands.

Alfred Micallef also a teacher of biology, worked after hours as a lecturer of Faculty of Education within the University of Malta. While at the UOM he was involved mentoring and supervising several dissertations on various environmental educational fronts. He worked on the development and implementation of a programme of studies regarding the integration of environmental concepts in the primary school curriculum.

In 1973 during his teaching career, he introduced an extracurricular project called ‘The Science Club’.  This sought to instil in all students the application of scientific practice in all aspects of the environment through experiments, projects, tree planting and various other activities. In 1980 he received a commendation from the Commonwealth Association of Science and Mathematics educators.

Outside of his teaching career Micallef was an active member of the Teens and Twenties’ Talent Trust, where, as a particularly active volunteer he worked with other youths on beach cleaning, tree planting and afforestation project on the islands. He was also involved in the initiative which introduced bird nesting boxes in public gardens. He also worked hard together with his team to create a holistic environmental awareness amongst the public.

Perhaps the peak of Mr Micallef’s career was reached when the introduction of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme took place. This was a good opportunity for all participants, irrespective of their physical abilities, to enhance their achievements through Expedition, Skill, Service and Physical recreation, eventually reaching Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. This was done in symbiosis with Environmental Studies.

Mr Micallef is forever grateful to the hundreds of students he met throughout his teaching career, who participated in all these ventures with passion, inquisitiveness and enthusiasm.

During his speech, His Excellency Dr George Vella stated that:

“We must not forget that what happens in our country does not only affect the health and safety of our people,” said H.E. the President. “Our behaviour in everyday life – what we eat, what we buy, what we throw away, and the means of transport we choose, have as much impact as big industrial projects. We must not forget that, in order to clean the air, reduce drastic climate change, protect wildlife and the oceans, we, all of us, are responsible… This does not happen by default: in most cases, we have degraded it ourselves… it is our duty to fix it. Therefore, we need to be aware of our actions. What we destroy today will be lost forever, but what we nurture will continue to bear fruit and give us and those who come after us a better quality of life.”

Both the President of Malta, His Excellency Dr George Vella, and ERA’s Chairman, Professor Victor Axiak, congratulated the winners and their families, whilst thanking them for their priceless efforts towards the environment and for bravely spearheading initiatives that started to bring about societal change within Malta and amongst the Maltese.

26 October 2020