Luxembourg is looking for urban farmers
A new pilot project in the capital will try out multi-faceted farming in a built-up setting as a source of food and environmental awareness
Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia planting trees in Wied Fulija, Source: Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia planting trees in Wied Fulija. Photo: environment.gov.mt/
The Wied Fulija rehabilitation project nears completion as the country’s waste recycling plan kicks in
With the planting of 400 indigenous trees, the Wied Fulija rehabilitation project in Zurrieq, Malta has entered its final phase, reports TVM. The project, which aims to turn an area the size of seven football stadiums into an environmental attraction, will be completed within four months following the planting of 30 000 additional shrubs.
The place has a great tourist potential, being part of a valley overlooking the cliffs on the coast of Zurrieq. Unfortunately, from 1979 until 1996 the picturesque area was used as a landfill.
In August 2019, waste management company WasteServ began the rehabilitation works of the former dumping site which include the making of a pathway so that visitors could enjoy the splendid views. In collaboration with BirdLife, WasteServ will create nesting sites in the Fulija Valley. The company will also help the Malta Beekepers Association to set up beehives, thus contributing to the preservation of native bee species.
Praising the ecological and health benefits of the partly EU-funded project worth EUR 4,5 million, Zurrieq mayor Rita Grima told TVM: “Every time I come here I see the difference. Now here are beautiful, long walkways. Wonderful views. No smell. Just pure air and the chance for visitors to have as many picnics as they want. There will be a lot of trees here.”
The Minister for the Environment, Aaron Farrugia, who attended the planting event, said that the Wied Fulija rehabilitation project fits in perfectly with the Government’s environmental strategy. “The wise decision of the Government to move away from the concept of landfills through state-of-the-art facilities in which the Government of the day is investing will result in extracting a resource from waste,” said the environment minister.
He was referring to Ecohive, Malta’s largest waste management project worth half a billion euros which aims to drive the country towards a circular economy. Under this mega-project, every type of waste material will be converted into a resource with only 10 percent of waste ending up in a landfill.
However, without active community participation, national waste management efforts may stumble. To stimulate Local Councils and residents to observe the laws related to waste collection, and come up with innovative ideas in the sector, Malta Waste Reduction Awards have come into play. Last week, the locality of Qrendi grabbed the first prize for most recycled waste per capita in 2019 and was awarded EUR 5 000. This recognition will help Qrendi Local Council to create more projects for the benefit of the local environment and its residents’ wellbeing.
Eurostat determined the way inflation has affected this now globally iconic fast food product
EUvsDisinfo, a branch of the European External Action Service, published a report outlining the tactics and origins of Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI)
The Quartier des Trèfles will be home to hundreds of people as a neighbourhood-sized three-building complex
The city plans to reintroduce a sound system in central public spaces, however, this time it should be more compatible with residents' concerns
A new facility in the city will produce biochar, trap CO2 and generate sustainable energy
The digital transformation has reached the geographical dimension
The money will be targeted to organisations who have seen a 50% rise in energy costs in 2022 compared to 2021
The initiative has already taken root in Aveiro, Braga and Lisbon, and soon in Matosinhos
The city plans to reintroduce a sound system in central public spaces, however, this time it should be more compatible with residents' concerns
The money will be targeted to organisations who have seen a 50% rise in energy costs in 2022 compared to 2021
The initiative has already taken root in Aveiro, Braga and Lisbon, and soon in Matosinhos
The only European country left where the anti-pandemic mandate still applies is Austria
The new itineraries are part of the DiscoverEU programme, which lets 18-year-olds travel by train between important European sites
The European Commission has published its first progress report charting the achievements of the socio-cultural movement that combines beauty, inclusion and sustainability
The 2023 edition of the creative initiative promises to be bigger, bolder and more inclusive
Veni Markovski’s take on dealing with disinformation in the European Union's poorest country – Bulgaria
A conversation with the mayor of Utrecht on the occasion of her mission to COP27
A conversation with the President of the European Committee of the Regions, about energy, climate change and the underrated importance of cohesion policy