Inset: Ralph Cassar (ADPD)Malta’s seemingly impressive 6.2% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions during the first quarter of 2025 has been branded a misleading “accounting exercise” by the Green Party, which argues the government is simply shifting pollution offshore whilst failing catastrophically to meet EU climate commitments.
ADPD – The Green Party secretary-general Ralph Cassar launched a scathing attack on the government’s environmental record, challenging the narrative around what appeared to be positive climate news.
His criticism centres on Malta’s growing reliance on electricity imported through the Sicily-Malta interconnector, which effectively transfers emissions from Malta’s balance sheet to Italy’s without reducing actual pollution.
“Despite the decrease in emissions, the figure indicates a growing share of electricity sourced from the Sicily-Malta interconnector,” Cassar explained. “For accounting purposes the emissions generated a few hundred kilometres away are not counted on Malta’s emissions balance sheet. The ‘reduction’ is therefore rendered purely notional, because it is just shifted onto Italy’s balance sheet.”
The veteran Green Party exponent emphasised that this statistical sleight of hand masks the reality that Malta has made little genuine progress in energy efficiency or expanding local renewable energy sources. “The Minister for Energy should come clean and state clearly that the reduction is actually purely a result of an accounting exercise,” he demanded.
Cassar’s accusations are supported by compelling data from Malta’s energy sector. Electricity imports via the interconnector surged by 42% throughout 2024, with the underwater cable now responsible for a staggering 32.4% of Malta’s total energy supply. This represents a dramatic increase from just 22.9% in 2023, suggesting the trend Cassar highlighted has continued into 2025.
The composition of this imported electricity undermines any environmental credentials. Data reveals that 66.5% of the interconnector’s supply comes from natural gas and 11.9% from coal, with renewable sources contributing merely 8%. This means Malta is effectively importing fossil fuel-generated electricity whilst claiming credit for reduced domestic emissions.
The Green Party’s criticism gains further credence when viewed against Malta’s broader climate performance, which can charitably be described as underwhelming. Despite EU membership requiring adherence to ambitious environmental targets, Malta consistently ranks amongst the worst performers in the bloc for climate action.
Under the European Green Deal, Malta faces legally binding obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 19% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels, whilst contributing to the EU’s overall 55% reduction target. The country must also achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and ensure renewable energy accounts for at least 25% of total consumption by 2030.
However, current projections suggest Malta will miss its carbon emission targets by a substantial 62%, highlighting the enormous gap between political rhetoric and environmental reality. This failure becomes more stark when considering Malta’s track record of emissions increases rather than decreases.
Throughout recent years, Malta has consistently recorded some of the highest greenhouse gas emission increases in the EU. In late 2024, the country posted an 8.7% rise in emissions during the first three months, following a 7.74% increase in the previous quarter. These figures stand in marked contrast to the recent quarterly decrease that the government has celebrated.
Malta’s renewable energy performance remains equally disappointing. In 2022, just 10.3% of the country’s total energy came from renewable sources, creeping up to 15.08% in 2023. While the Climate Action Authority projects this will reach 25% by 2030, this target falls significantly short of the EU’s 32% requirement.
The transport sector, which remains the largest contributor to Malta’s greenhouse gas emissions, exemplifies the government’s failure to implement comprehensive climate policies. Despite aspirations for electric vehicle adoption, authorities have struggled to develop holistic strategies addressing this critical emissions source.
Malta’s climate governance structure reveals institutional weaknesses that compound policy failures. A damning Auditor General report from June 2025 found the country’s climate policies to be “fragmented and underfunded,” with only 4% of fifty climate adaptation measures fully implemented despite rising sea levels and flood risks.
The Climate Action Authority, responsible for coordinating national climate efforts, was established only in October 2024, leaving a significant oversight gap during crucial years. Meanwhile, the government’s Climate Action Fund has been “woefully underutilised,” with merely one-third of a €1.3 million allocation spent between 2017 and 2023.
To meet previous EU targets, Malta was forced to purchase emissions credits from other member states that exceeded their goals, joining Ireland and Germany in spending nearly €800 million between 2013 and 2020 on this expensive compliance mechanism.
