Minister Miriam Dalli presides over the first meeting of the EU Mediterranean energy ministers
In a historic agreement, Med9 energy ministers committed to making the Mediterranean region a green energy hub that can lead the EU’s drive for a decarbonised, energy-independent Europe.
On Thursday, the energy ministers of the nine EU states in the Mediterranean region met in Malta for the first Med9 Energy Ministers’ Meeting. Minister for the Environment, Energy, and Enterprise Miriam Dalli led the meeting with the participation of European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson and ministerial delegations from the other eight Mediterranean countries; Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain.
The nine countries signed the Malta Statement, a joint declaration launching the vision for the Mediterranean Region as a Hub of Green Energy, to accelerate the EU’s drive for a decarbonised, energy-independent future. The Med9 countries agreed that the Mediterranean can become a centre of renewable energy investments, with a focus on offshore renewables and new energy interconnections between EU and non-EU Mediterranean countries, to facilitate European investment in green energy.
The joint statement sets out several important actions. The Med9 countries will be launching a steering committee to work together and plan the way forward for the establishment of the Mediterranean Green Energy Hub. This commitment will lead to new growth and employment opportunities in the region.
The Energy Ministers also invited the EU Commission to conduct a comprehensive report to study the potential of green energy corridors that can link Europe with the renewable energy potential in neighbouring North African countries and to prioritise funding for the development of these critical Mediterranean interconnections. They also agreed to prioritise the investments in renewable energy solutions, such as offshore renewables, solar PV power generation systems, the production and transportation of renewable hydrogen, and storage solutions.
Finally, the Malta Statement affirms that the nine countries will work to make sure that every member state can benefit from the Mediterranean region’s green energy potential.
Minister Miriam Dalli said, “Today marks our first step to join forces and to work harder as Med9 countries, together with our Mediterranean partners. We all recognise that investments in renewable energy infrastructure are not simply a forward-looking commitment with long-term objectives. These investments are the best solution to our current challenges. Malta is working hard to achieve its climate and energy objectives, as we look forward to new investments in offshore renewables and battery storage systems, and to double our interconnection with mainland Europe, for increased sustainability and security in the coming years.”
European Commissioner Kadri Simson said, “Today’s discussions in Valletta take place on the first anniversary of the REPowerEU plan, which the Commission launched to accelerate the deployment of renewables and to increase investment in energy efficiency while diversifying our energy supplies and suppliers. REPowerEU is a Mediterranean success story. During the past year, we have seen a record deployment of renewables in the region. Today this ambition was reconfirmed, and the Commission remains ready to assist where needed to help the Mediterranean region become a green energy hub.”
Il-Ministri tal-Enerġija tal-Med9 jilħqu ftehim biex iniedu hub ta’ enerġija nadifa fil-Mediterran
Il-Ministru Miriam Dalli tmexxi l-ewwel laqgħa tal-MED 9 bejn il-ministri tal-enerġija tal-Mediterran
Permezz ta’ ftehim storiku, il-ministri tal-enerġija tal-pajjiżi Med9 ikkommettew li jagħmlu r-reġjun Mediterranju hub ta’ enerġija nadifa li jista’ jixpruna l-impenn tal-Unjoni Ewropea lejn Ewropa dekarbonizzata, b’settur tal-enerġija indipendenti.
Il-Ħamis, il-ministri tal-enerġija tal-pajjiżi tal-UE fil-Mediterran iltaqgħu f’Malta għall-ewwel Laqgħa tal-Ministri tal-Enerġija tal-Med9. Il-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli mexxiet il-laqgħa bis-sehem tal-Kummissarju Ewropew għall-Enerġija Kadri Simson, flimkien ma’ delegazzjonijiet ministerjali mit-tmien pajjiżi Mediterranji l-oħra; il-Kroazja, Ċipru, Franza, il-Greċja, l-Italja, il-Portugall, is-Slovenja u Spanja.
Id-disa’ pajjiżi ffirmaw il-Malta Statement, dikjarazzjoni konġunta li tniedi l-viżjoni tar-reġjun Mediterranju bħala hub tal-enerġija nadifa, biex jaċċelleraw l-impenn tal-Unjoni Ewropea lejn futur dekarbonizzat u indipendenti fl-enerġija. Il-pajjiżi tal-Med9 qablu li l-Mediterran jista’ jkun ċentru ta’ investimenti ta’ enerġija rinnovabbli b’enfasi fuq sistemi ta’ enerġija rinnovabbli offshore u interkonnessjonijiet tal-enerġija ġodda bejn pajjiżi tal-UE fil-Mediterran u pajjiżi oħrajn fl-istess reġjun, sabiex jiffaċilitaw l-investiment Ewropew fl-enerġija nadifa.
L-istqarrija konġunta tiddefinixxi wkoll diversi azzjonijiet. Il-pajjiżi tal-Med9 se jniedu kumitat biex jaħdmu flimkien u jippjanaw it-triq ’il quddiem biex il-Mediterran isir hub ta’ enerġija nadifa. Dan l-impenn se jwassal għal iktar tkabbir ekonomiku u iżjed impjiegi fl-istess reġjun.
Il-ministri tal-enerġija stiednu lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea biex twettaq studju komprensiv tal-potenzjal ta’ kurituri ta’ enerġija nadifa li jistgħu jgħaqqdu lill-Ewropa mal-potenzjal ta’ enerġija rinnovabbli fil-pajjiżi ġirien fl-Afrika ta’ Fuq. Talbu wkoll lill-Kummissjoni tagħti prijorità lill-iffinanzjar ta’ proġetti għall-iżvilupp ta’ dawn l-interkonnessjonijiet. Il-ministri qablu wkoll li jipprijoritizzaw l-investimenti tagħhom f’soluzzjonijiet ta’ enerġija rinnovabbli, bħal sistemi offshore, sistemi ta’ pannelli solari, il-produzzjoni u t-trasport tal-idroġenu rinnovabbli u sistemi ta’ ħażna tal-enerġija.
Finalment, il-Malta Statement tafferma wkoll li d-disa’ pajjiżi se jaħdmu biex jiżguraw li kull stat membru jkun jista’ jibbenefika mill-potenzjal ta’ enerġija nadifa tar-reġjun Mediterranju.
Il-Ministru Miriam Dalli qalet, “Illum qed nagħmlu l-ewwel pass biex ningħaqdu flimkien u naħdmu aktar bħala pajjiżi tal-Med9, flimkien ma’ msieħba oħra fil-Mediterran. Illum qed nirrikonoxxu li l-investimenti fl-infrastruttura tal-enerġija rinnovabbli m’humiex sempliċiment impenn li jħares ’il quddiem b’għanijiet fit-tul. Dawn l-investimenti huma l-aħjar soluzzjoni għall-isfidi tagħna llum. Malta qed taħdem biex tilħaq il-miri tal-enerġija u l-klima tagħha, hekk kif qed inħarsu ’l quddiem lejn investimenti ġodda fir-rinnovabbli offshore u f’sistemi tal-ħażna tal-enerġija, u biex nirduppjaw l-interkonnessjoni tagħna mal-Ewropa, għal iżjed sostenibbiltà u sigurtà fis-snin li ġejjin.”
Il-Kummissarju Ewropew Kadri Simson qalet, “Id-diskussjonijiet li kellna llum fil-Belt Valletta jaħbtu mal-ewwel anniversarju ta’ REPowerEU, li l-Kummissjoni varat biex taċċellera l-iżvilupp tar-rinnovabbli u biex iżżid l-investiment fl-effiċjenza fl-enerġija, filwaqt li tiddiversifika l-provvisti u s-sorsi tal-enerġija. REPowerEU hija storja ta’ suċċess għall-Mediterran. Fl-aħħar sena rajna żvilupp rekord ta’ sistemi ta’ enerġija rinnovabbli f’dan ir-reġjun. Illum din l-ambizzjoni qed tiġi kkonfermata mill-ġdid, u l-Kummissjoni se tibqa’ disponibbli biex tgħin fejn hemm bżonn, filwaqt li tassisti fil-mixja lejn hub ta’ enerġija nadifa fil-Mediterran.”
