Taking a closer look at how the world is responding to the climate crisis

L-aħħar aġġornament sar fi It-Tlieta, 09/07/2024

Good Morning Europe, climate change is still in fact real. 2019 was declared the year of ‘climate emergency’ with more than two thousand jurisdictions in 40 countries declaring a climate emergency but more than three years have passed since... So, what has been done so far?

© BBC. Illustration of global average temperature by year compared with pre-industrial average

Climate change in short is the shift in the Earth’s average temperatures and weather conditions. Taking a look back at the last decade, the world is around 1.2C warmer than the temperature during the late 19th Century. Between February 2023 and January 2024, global warming has increased by 1.5C in 12 months, with 2023 being declared the warmest year.

But why worry about the temperature getting higher? Doesn’t that mean the sun is working? No, in reality, this is being caused by human activity, through the use of fossil fuels – coal, oil, and gas. When we burn these pretty elements, they release greenhouse gases, also carbon dioxide (CO2). The extra energy gets trapped near the Earth’s surface, causing the planet to heat up.

This human activity is affecting more than just heating the earth and making us sweat. It will, in the long run, affect our health, lead to food shortages, make severe weather worse (and confusing), and it will affect everyone, even our wildlife will be in danger.

The European Climate Law

In July of 2021, the European Climate Law was established. The law proposed a target of net zero emissions by the year 2050. The EU institutions and the Member States must now follow through on this target by taking the necessary measures. This means that, following the mainly symbolic ‘climate emergency’ in 2019, real action was taken.

That year also saw Greta Thunberg begin her global movement. In August 2018, she skipped school to camp out in front of the Swedish Parliament (because that’s common for 15-year-olds, duh!), holding a sign that read “Skolstrejk för klimatet”     (“School Strike for Climate”).  Through this, she inspired the global climate strike on September 20 2019, and this became the largest climate demonstration in history with 4 million people joining.

How Are Governments Tackling This

In December 2015, the European Union and 194 states have already pledged to the Paris Agreement, committing to limit the increase in global warming with a goal of 1.5°C. Known as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), each country is to submit an updated national climate action plan. Additionally, an independent monitoring tool, CCPI, has been developed to keep track of the countries involved in the Paris Agreement and analyse their climate protection performance.

What About The European Citizens

 © European Commission, 2023. Infographic of Special Eurobarometer 538 ‘Climate change’

According to a 2023 survey:

• 93% of EU citizens see climate change as a serious issue and have taken steps to address it. 

• 88% acknowledge the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions for EU climate neutrality by 2050. 

• Over half believe both national governments and the EU are responsible for addressing climate change, but 67% feel their national governments aren't doing enough. 

• Regarding reducing the economic burden from the energy crisis, 29% favour introducing renewable energy, 16% suggest direct financial assistance, 15% support increased energy-saving investments, and 6% advocate diversifying fossil fuel imports.

A Local Point Of View - Malta

Members of Parliament

On the 30th of January, Maltese MPs (Members of Parliament) met for a debate centered around establishing government bodies under a Climate Action Authority. The Minister for Environment Miriam Dalli insisted on the urgency of climate change by saying, “When we understand how this global phenomenon is slowly changing the environment, we understand the collective action that needs to be taken.” This authority will have a clear mission, said Environment Minister Miriam Dalli, ‘‘strengthening social development so that no one falls behind when acting against climate change.’’

The Maltese Green Party

AD+PD (also written as ADPD) is the green political party in Malta formed in 1989 by environmental activists. Their principles lay on Social Justice, Civil rights, Environmental Justice, Democracy, and Sustainable Development. In an interview with Sandra Gauci, the chairperson of the party, we get further insight into what the party aims to achieve at international and local levels.

‘‘To address climate change, there needs to be action from European, international, national and local level’’. 

– Sandra Gauci, Chairperson of ADPD Malta

She mentions that, in Malta, it’s necessary to have fewer cars on the road which can only happen if multimodal infrastructure is given priority. There needs to be green spaces in every town. To support vulnerable communities affected by climate change, policies should be implemented, including ‘climate visas’ which will offer refuge to people who can't live in their country due to climate change. Despite not being in power, the party finds ways to apply pressure on government bodies, for example, last summer, they collected almost 500 signatures from citizens who want to take action by sending letters to the Minister during the multiple power cuts the country experienced.

FoEM local organisation - Be part of the change

© Juliana Zammit. People gathered around a person kneeling next to a bicycle at the FoEM bike repair workshop

The local organisation of FoEM in Malta hosts a youth hub in partnership with Generation (Change?) which allows young people to advocate for all kinds of injustices and inequalities. The organisation frequently works on projects that increase awareness of climate change, including a bike repair workshop, where people get to learn in a safe space how to maintain their bikes.

From one Youth to another Youth: ‘The future generation can save the planet.’    

© Juliana Zammit. The earth laughs in flowers

In a conversation with an active young person in climate change, we got an insight into her views on climate change. Yolanda-Natania, a young Maltese involved in climate change activism, has felt alone in her concern about the climate crisis, especially with peers around her age. Through volunteering with local NGOs like FoEM, she found an entire community of like-minded people who share the same passion for climate activism.

Yolanda sees progress in Malta that signifies a move towards sustainability, although there's still a long way to go. Despite hoping for a brighter future, she expresses concerns about the potential impact on her and her loved ones' safety and well-being. She observes the increase in mental health issues among the younger generation due to climate change: ‘‘We are burdened with the responsibility of solving a crisis we did not cause, whilst the aggressors continue to deny their huge role in causing climate change’’. Yolanda also highlights the dilemma faced by the younger generation: either accept the unsustainable lifestyle provided by the government or continuously act and pressure them to address it.

In the end, climate change is something worth caring about. If we just sweep it under the rug, we will only suffer the consequences when it’s too late.

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Young Journalists in Europe - Meet the author

Juliana Zammit
Hello, I'm Juliana Zammit, a 20-year-old journalism student. I have loved writing and telling stories since I was little. Over time, I've grown to enjoy learning and researching new things. I also studied photography for two years, which taught me to see the world differently and find beauty in ordinary things. I hope to tell many stories through words and pictures.

This article reflects the views of the authors only. The European Commission and Eurodesk cannot be held responsible for it.