Sustainability and the Environment
- Long-term implementation plan towards achieving a ‘Net Zero, Carbon Neutral’ environment for the tourism industry. The plan is for every tourism establishment to have its operations generating green energy and to target a lower consumption of energy through innovative technology.
- Continued studies on the possibility and the feasibility to build a light railway network in Malta.
- Improvement of the water production and distribution systems - including the building of reservoirs in the south of Malta, a reverse osmosis plant in Gozo and a tunnel that will link the Pembroke plant to the reservoirs in Ta’ Qali.
- Distribution of water saving kits to households, improving the quality of tap water and the handling of water leaks.
- An attractive package will be offered to issue “Green Bonds” which will finance projects which promote renewable energy and which reduce air pollution.
- A waste management plan including the building of plants for electricity generation from non-recyclable waste (reducing the need for landfills), for the disposal of clinical waste and organic waste for composting purposes.
- As from January 2021, the importation of single-use plastic will be banned. As from January 2022, the sale of these products will also be banned.
- Schemes will be introduced in order to incentivise owners of private residences and commercial establishments to install Green Walls.
Incentives for the use of renewable energy
- Schemes for the installation of solar panels, heat pump water heaters, solar water heaters and renewable energy storage batteries will be extended.
- A feed-in tariff for electricity generated by solar photovoltaic installations will continue to be established.
- Studies on the possibility of switching to electric-powered vehicles within the public transport service.
- Schemes for the restoration of wells in residential homes, the appliance replacement scheme in vulnerable households and the grant for the purchase of reverse osmosis will also be extended.
- More charging pillars for electric vehicles will be installed and made available to the general public.
- Five “Eco-Intermodal Hubs” will be installed in strategic locations around the Maltese islands, where the public will be given access to all information on means of transport, rental of e-scooters and e-bikes, as well as facilities where one can charge their phones and use WIFI.
Vehicle scrapping schemes
Grants will be awarded when one scraps a vehicle which has been in circulation for more than a decade, and which is replaced by a less polluting vehicle. The grant will vary depending on the emissions of the new vehicle and the highest grant amounts to seven thousand euro (€7,000).
Alternative transportation
The exemption from registration tax and from the payment of the annual road license on electric vehicles and plug-in electric vehicles for a period of five years from the date of first registration will be extended.
The special rate applicable to residential homes owned by individuals who have an electric vehicle and who charge their car overnight will remain in force.
Other schemes
The scheme awarding a full VAT refund on bicycles and electronic bicycles will be extended. The same applies to the scheme that incentivises the purchase of electric motorcycles, scooters and bicycles by awarding a VAT refund up to a maximum of €400.
A grant of €400 will be awarded to those who convert their vehicle to run on gas instead of fuel, if the reduction of the CO2 emissions of the vehicle is reduced by 25%. This scheme will also apply to all passenger and freight transport vehicles, in which case the grant will amount to a maximum of €800.
The annual license of motorcycles with a cubic capacity between 125cc and 250cc renewed in 2021 will be reduced from €65 to €25.
Vehicles used on public holidays and weekends
Vehicles which are registered with Transport Malta to be used solely on weekends and public holidays will benefit from a reduction of 35% of the annual motor licence.
