Malta falling short on climate goals, EU Commission warns

Malta has come under renewed scrutiny from the European Commission over its continued failure to meet key climate and energy targets, with Brussels issuing a sharply worded call for urgent corrective action across multiple sectors.

In its latest assessment of Malta’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), the Commission warns that Malta risks falling short of its 2030 obligations unless it drastically accelerates the pace and scope of its green transition.

The document, framed as technical guidance, nonetheless reads as a damning indictment of Malta’s sluggish progress and lack of strategic coherence.

Among the most pointed criticisms is Malta’s failure to finalise its Climate Vulnerability Risk Assessment, a key document meant to inform national adaptation strategies. The Commission urged the Maltese government to assess climate risks more comprehensively, particularly across vital sectors such as water management, and to establish concrete adaptation policies with measurable objectives.

On emissions, the report identifies a worrying lack of momentum across all Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) sectors. The Commission recommends intensified efforts to reduce emissions, particularly in road transport and buildings, and calls for Malta to leverage available EU flexibilities while fostering alternatives to climate-damaging refrigerants in air conditioning systems.

One of the most striking rebukes centres on Malta’s continued use of fossil fuel subsidies, with the Commission demanding greater transparency and a defined timeline for their phase-out.

Equally concerning is the country’s lack of a credible roadmap for scaling up renewable energy deployment. While the EU has raised its collective ambition, Malta has yet to articulate how it will contribute meaningfully to the bloc’s 2030 targets. The Commission recommends sweeping reforms, including support for offshore wind, floating solar PV, and investment in innovative renewable technologies.

In the transport sector, the Commission notes Malta’s overreliance on private vehicles and urges investment in electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, congestion pricing, and public transport improvements to reduce car dependency.

Further shortcomings are highlighted in energy efficiency, where public sector energy use remains largely unchecked, and in buildings, where deep renovations are lagging. The report calls for the removal of persistent price disparities between electricity and gas to support household electrification efforts.

Industrial decarbonisation is also notably absent from current plans. Malta is advised to take stronger action to promote renewable hydrogen and drive cleaner energy use in its industrial base.

The Commission underscores the need for a robust transition strategy, one that addresses potential job losses and includes concrete reskilling and upskilling initiatives, alongside sufficient financial commitments.

While couched in the language of policy guidance, the Commission’s message to Malta is unambiguous: unless major reforms are enacted swiftly, the country risks undermining its own energy security, missing its climate commitments, and falling out of step with the EU’s broader Green Deal ambitions.