The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) is marking its 10-year anniversary with a series of events showcasing its environmental governance, including a fun-filled day at Spencer Gardens in Marsa. The public event brought together educational activities, guided tours, and interactive exhibits highlighting ERA’s work to safeguard Malta’s environment.

Established following the demerger from MEPA in 2016, ERA has over the past decade developed national systems for environmental regulation, monitoring, and enforcement. Key indicators reflect the scale of this growth, including:

  1. The country’s Natura 2000 network and nationally protected sites have increased by more than 18% on both land and sea, underscoring ERA’s commitment to site protection at both legal and practical levels.
  2. Environmental permits processed annually have risen from a few thousand in 2016 to over 21,000 in 2025. Inspections have increased from around 700 to more than 8,000 per year, and administrative enforcement tools have led to over 9,000 enforcement actions over the past ten years. ERA also continues to shape national environmental policy, with nearly 150 policy documents and legislative instruments issued for public consultation prior to adoption to guide and support the government and other entities.

At the event, ERA also partnered up with author Mark Marshall to launch the children’s book ‘The Brilliant Bee’, showcasing the intrinsic link of a healthy environment and the importance of educating children and the general public.

Celebrating 10 years of ERA offers a key chance to acknowledge the Authority and its committed team. Over the last decade, ERA has focused on evidence-based decisions, enforcement, and policy initiatives. Much of this work happens quietly but is essential, as it supports biodiversity conservation, sustainable natural resource management, and enhances community quality of life,” Minister Dalli stated.

ERA chairman Perit Vincent Cassar described the past decade as a period of institutional development:

“ERA has focused on establishing strong foundations for environmental governance over the past decade. The designation of protected areas has been accompanied by ongoing management measures, including habitat restoration, monitoring, and enforcement. The Authority will continue to strengthen these efforts to ensure that protection is both effective and sustained over time.”

Environmental monitoring systems have also expanded, including air quality networks, biodiversity programmes, and marine assessments. At the same time, new tools such as public dashboards, geoportals, and environmental databases have been introduced to improve access to information and support evidence-based decision-making.

Looking ahead, the Authority is advancing a number of initiatives, including a National Restoration Plan, updated air quality plans aligned with stricter EU standards, and targeted measures to reduce waste, particularly food waste.

ERA CEO Kevin Mercieca emphasised the Authority’s long-term role:

“Ten years ago, ERA was established as a dedicated regulator in response to the growing complexity of environmental governance. Since then, the Authority has built the systems, expertise, and institutional capacity required to address a wide and evolving environmental mandate. Our work today spans every dimension of the natural environment, supported by technical expertise, monitoring systems, and a strong regulatory framework. Crucially, none of these achievements would be possible without ERA’s officers. Their expertise, commitment, passion and above all, dedication are the pillars of the Authority.  As environmental pressures continue to intensify, the focus remains on ensuring that these systems deliver effective protection in practice. The environment does not wait, and neither do we,” Mr Mercieca said.

23 April 2026