Green fighter sounds alarm over clean energy setback

VALLETTA－Astrid Vella, one of Malta's best-known environmental warriors, has been devoted to preserving heritage buildings and improving her country's natural environment. She is now worried about what she calls the setback caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict to Europe's green transition.

"This is a setback, also for nongovernmental environmental protection organizations," said Vella, 61, founder and coordinator of the Maltese environmental protection organization Together for a Better Environment.

"I prefer to think long term," she said. While Europe is seeking alternatives to fossil fuels to meet energy demand, Vella said, the setback would be just temporary.

She was relieved that Malta had weaned itself from coal, unlike some other European countries, which have increased the electricity-generating capacity of their coal-fired power plants, she said. But she remained anxious about air pollution from busy roads.

Though her environmental protection organization is small, Vella has devoted all her efforts to strengthening people's awareness of the need to protect the environment.

"We should set up an organization to slow down and prevent the destruction of all the wonderful gems that we have," Vella said as she talked of her aim in founding the organization in 2006.

Today the organization relies on several volunteers, and for Vella it has evolved into a full-time job. She learned her commitment to environmental protection from her father, who insisted on the value of the environment first in his work as an architect.

In response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict that has sent energy prices rocketing and has threatened the livelihood of households across the continent, the European Union now aims to radically reduce its dependence on Russian coal, oil and natural gas. According to analysts, sanctions imposed on Russia have spurred concerns over energy supply shortages, and the public is being forced to foot the bill for the conflict.

Vella said she felt for all those hit by the rapidly rising energy prices, something people in Europe have "rarely" experienced, if at all.

The EU, as part of its sanctions against Russia, is looking for new sources of liquefied natural gas, primarily in the United States but also elsewhere. As a logical next step, the countries of Europe now have to build new LNG import terminals. Some countries plan to maintain coal import levels to be able to operate their coal-fired power plants at full capacity.

Xinhua