Introduction

The marine environment is associated with diverse ecosystem services that are essential for human wellbeing. As a result of various human activities and use of the marine environment, marine biodiversity is facing various threats and challenges.  Hence the importance of ensuring sustainable use of marine resources. To better manage the marine environment, Malta has designated Marine Protected Areas for the conservation of important habitats and species (Conservation Measures and Objectives) and issued Programmes of Measures targeting the sustainable use of the wider marine waters (3rd RBMP Malta and MFSD Programme of Measures). Malta’s European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, EMFAF 2021-2027, provides the opportunity for funding implementation of such management processes. The Environment and Resources Authority will be handling projects falling within the scope of Specific Objective 1.6 of the EMFAF Operational Programme. 

In order to address Specific Objective 1.6, the project shall seek to:

  • engage all relevant stakeholders throughout the implementation of marine management processes to achieve effective management of marine uses.
  • provide the necessary knowledge and information to ensure informed management decisions and enable capacity building for management processes.
  • raise awareness on the importance of marine resources to enable behavioural changes that contribute to the protection of marine ecosystems.
  • implement restoration efforts to assist in the recovery of marine habitats and species.

 

Expected results

The project is expected to result in improved engagement of stakeholders in management processes for Marine Protected Areas and the wider marine environment, which coupled to a strong investment in awareness raising, is expected to facilitate uptake of sustainable practices and uses by relevant sectors.

The project will also result in improved knowledge on the importance of the marine environment across the general public which will facilitate behavioural changes contributing to conservation of marine habitats and species. Furthermore, the project will result in the reduction of disturbance to sensitive species from anthropogenic activity and improve knowledge on restoration processes for seabed habitats.

Overall, the project is expected to increase trends in the sustainability of marine uses and marine restoration linked to a better quality of the marine environment, better quality for marine users and also to ensure the availability of marine resources for future generations and economic viability which are dependent on such resources. In addition, the project will contribute to other EU policy objectives including the targets of the Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and the Nature Restoration Regulation.

 

Project Details

Project Reference: EMFAF.P1.209

Project Title: “Marine Conservation: An inclusive approach to managing marine resources”

Duration: June 2024 – December 2027

Total funds: €7,750,000

EU Contribution: €5,425,000

Project Location: Malta

 

Beneficiaries

Lead: Environment and Resources Authority

Partners: Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Aquatic Resources Malta, Transport Malta, Ambjent Malta, Birdlife Malta and Nature Trust Malta

Introduction

The TREASURE project seeks to improve environmental quality in and around Mediterranean port areas, by mitigating and reducing sediment and water pollution; a common challenge and problem in port areas. The project was approved under the second Call of the Interregional Cooperation Programme “Euro-MED 2021-2027”.

The aims are to:

  • identify an ecosystem with multiple stakeholders to create open pilot laboratories or territorial mini-labs: this involves effective cross-sector and cross-cutting governance frameworks to deal with the challenges of pollution in port areas.
  • define an integrated approach to environmental quality assessment for the preservation and restoration of the land-sea ecosystem.
  • test and experiment new techniques for the remediation of degraded and polluted port areas.

Expected results

  • A TREASURE solution for Environmental Quality in Port Areas taken up by all territories participating in the consortium (as a minimum).
  • An Action Plan by each territory, involving the right stakeholders, approval of the Action Plan and its implementation.
  • Building institutional capacity in the participant organisations which capacity will increase their expertise in environmental management and pollution reduction in and around port areas. This will include: capacity to operate in a multi-stakeholder framework, run in a multistakeholder lab format, have expertise in measuring environmental impact, knowledge of novel pollution reduction techniques and their suitability for application in a specific port area.

As a stakeholder in this project, ERA stands to benefit as the project’s outcomes are expected to provide enhanced environmental knowledge on one of Malta’s heavily modified water bodies (Port il-Kbir area). Moreover, the project will explore the use of the novel techniques for solutions for pollution attributed to activities within the port.

Project Details

Project Reference: Euro-MED0200218
Project Title: “Testing novel environmental quality measures in and around Euro-MED ports”
Duration: January 2024 – September 2026
Total funds: €2,500,000
EU Contribution: €2,000,000

Beneficiaries

Lead : ASEV – Italy
Partners : Ispra – Italy, Port of Bar – Montenegro, Fundacion Valenciaport – Spain, Durres Port Authority, PMM – TVT – France, Transport Malta (TM) – Malta, Piraeus Port Authority – Greece, CEI – Executive Secretariat – Italy.
Stakeholder: The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) is assisting the Maltese partner, TM on technical aspects related to the environment.

Further information about the project can be accessed through the:

Project Website: Home – Interreg Euro-MED – TREASURE

Linkedin: Link

Green Infrastructure

The intention is to create a garden which shall be a model for other National gardens that provides a pleasant refuge from the highly polluted and urbanized environment that is surrounding the garden. People making use of Spencer garden shall enjoy a tranquil atmosphere that is both safe and easily accessible. The landscape along the edges bordering the garden, which shall be provided through various features including thematic gardens, a nursery and elevated structures to enable a varied topography. Together with sound barriers these features will also act a soothing buffer for sound to aid garden users to detach from the hectic surrounding area. The current works will also reduce the number of concreated areas and provide adequate porous material to allow for the percolation of water and minerals and the growth of wild plants to promote pollinators.

Education & PR Communication

Trees shall be supplemented with awareness panels to educate visitors including children. A propagation nursery area is also being included as part of the plan for the garden for educational campaign purposes. This area shall be surrounded by a fence and shall be designed in a way to attract and educate people from different age groups and backgrounds. The history of the garden and information about the original formal features garden may also be communicated across the garden.

Better use of urban space concept

Spencer Garden will act as one of the green hubs in the highly urbanized southern harbor area. The site is currently under construction, and it is expected to be ready by 2024. The main intent of the refurbishment shall create an oasis in this heavily urbanized and industrial area that is easily accessible for Marsa residents and workers in the area alike, acting also as a project with social benefits. The site will also allow various social activities and will provide the comfort of free Wi-fi and pleasing environment for one to relax in an otherwise urbanised context.

Introduction

The development process of the second River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) has confirmed that there are still significant challenges ahead for Malta to achieve the good status objectives of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). These challenges are mainly linked to severe water scarcity and drought conditions, high population density, high urbanisation rates, saline water intrusion, contamination, and vulnerability of coastal waters.

Objectives

The main aim of the LIFE-IP RBMP-MALTA project is to support the implementation of the second RBMP through the establishment of an integrated framework for the optimised management of all water resources on the Maltese islands. To achieve this, it will seek to address the key horizontal challenges identified during a gap analysis undertaken as part of the development process for the second RBMP. The challenges will be addressed through the implementation of best practice, demonstration, pilot study, and capacity building actions.

The key horizontal challenges (i.e. the specific project objectives) are to:

  • Increase the awareness of the need to conserve and protect water resources and dependent terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems;
  • Facilitate the uptake of measures, through demonstration actions and cases of best practices in addition to fiscal incentives, and to build up the confidence of stakeholders and water users in the solutions proposed;
  • Improve the institutional approach to measuring implementation, achieving a high level of institutional and stakeholder dialogue; and
  • Reduce uncertainty in water body status assessments through improved knowledge of water-related processes, ecosystems and ecosystem services, as well as on interactions with anthropogenic activity, with a view to inform appropriate ecosystem-based management regimes and increase the trust of stakeholders in the status assessments.

Expected results

  • Reduced domestic water demand by around 5%, thereby generating annual savings of around 850,000m3 in the municipal water supply;
  • A net increase in the mean annual recharge of around 1.2 million m3, coming from alternative water sources such as rainwater runoff and highly-cleaned treated effluents;
  • Increased capacity of wastewater treatment plants to produce highly-cleaned water and increased use of this treated wastewater (instead of groundwater);
  • Reduced flood risk and improved groundwater status;
  • Increased awareness on the challenges facing the water sector; and
  • Optimised management of coastal ecosystems.

In addition, the project will strive to:

  • Conduct water audits in 25% of Malta’s households;
  • Reach 25% of Malta’s school population every year;
  • Restore 23 ha of Malta’s coastal wetland area;
  • Restore 30 ha of Malta’s valley habitat (30ha);
  • Develop 3 systems of sustainable urban drainage.

In addition to the IP budget, the project itself will facilitate the coordinated use of €168,939,966 of complementary funding from ERDF, CF, EMFF, EAFRD, INTERREG, national and private funds, as applicable.

ERA’s role in the project

The Environment and Resources Authority, as an associated beneficiary of the project, will be leading a number of actions as detailed below:

ACTION A.6: Development of a monitoring strategy for contaminants of emerging concern
Deliverables:
  1. Identification of Indicator Parameters in four water categories (surface waters, groundwater, storm water runoff and new water);
  2. Development of a Monitoring Strategy and Programme for each water category.
ACTION A.7: Development of a hydrographic model for Malta’s marine waters
Deliverable:

A report identifying data input needs for the selected model and the required monitoring systems beyond the current monitoring regimes.

ACTION C.13: Restoration of one of the coastal wetlands
Deliverables:
  1. Hydrological and coastal erosion studies;
  2. Final Technical Report on the implementation of coastal engineering works.
ACTION C.14: Anchoring and Mooring Surveys
Deliverables:
  1. Report of spatio-temporal analysis, and related shapefiles, of anchoring/mooring activity by different types of vessel;
  2. Report describing the quantitative assessment of impacts of mooring/anchoring activity on seabed habitats and related shapefiles of impact (including intensity) mapping;
  3. Report of identified management options prioritised on the basis of habitat sensitivity and socio-economic considerations and including administrative management processes associated with the management options;
  4. Implementation and monitoring report of selected option/s on a pilot basis;
  5. Long-term implementation plan of proven management options, including definition of administrative management systems.
ACTION C.16: Hydrographic model simulations for Malta’s marine waters to quantify and investigate pressures in the marine environment
Deliverables:
  1. Baseline hydrographical data to characterise the regime of Malta’s marine waters developed to the extent possible on the basis of essential elements of a marine observing and modelling system for the Maltese Islands;
  2. Technical report on outcome of numerical modelling tools used to simulate, assess and map the extent to which coastal waters are affected by storm-water run-off, land-based pollution and sediment loads at key nodes on the Maltese Islands;
  3. Technical report outlining the assessment of hydrographic pathways which may lead to contamination of Malta’s marine environment from transboundary sources, on the basis of numerical modelling tools.
ACTION C.18: Monitoring for emerging pollutants of potential concern
Deliverables:
  1. Report explaining the results of the screening monitoring.
  2. Report describing in-depth investigative monitoring results.

Project Details

PROJECT REFERENCE LIFE16 IPE/MT/008
PROJECT TITLE RBMP Malta – Optimising the implementation of the 2nd RBMP in the Maltese River Basin District
DURATION 01-JAN-2018 to 31-DEC -2025 (8 years)
TOTAL BUDGET €17,000,000
EU CONTRIBUTION €10,200,000
PROJECT LOCATION Malta

Beneficiaries

LEAD Energy and Water Agency
PARTNERS Environment and Resources Authority; Water Services Corporation; Ministry for Energy and Water Management; Ministry for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning (formerly known as: Ministry for Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change); Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects; Ministry for Gozo.

Further information on the project can be accessed through the following link:

Project Website: https://www.rbmplife.org.mt/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RBMPLIFEMT/