Environmental issues in the Maltese Islands

The Maltese islands are a small archipelago, situated in the centre of the Mediterranean some 96 km south of Sicily and 290 km north of the coast of Libya. The Maltese archipelago comprises three inhabited islands; Malta (245. 7 km2), Gozo (67.1 km2) and Comino (2.8 km2), together with a number of uninhabited smaller islands; Cominotto (9.9 ha), Filfla (2.0 ha), Fungus Rock (0.7 ha) and St Paul's islands (10.1 ha). The islands are composed almost entirely of marine sedimentary rocks of Tertiary age, mainly Oligo-Miocene limestones, calcareous sandstones and clays.peer-reviewe

A quantitative analysis of the effectiveness of a field visit on the environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of youth

Young people are becoming more detached from nature through a number of causes, including their increased use of digital media. This detachment from nature results in a lowering in the sense of ownership of the land and its resources, and subsequently, results in less motivation to conserve it. In order to reverse such behaviours and attitudes, a new programme termed “Lifelong Learning through Nature (LLN)” was devised. This study is an analysis of the LLN programme and its potential of making links among outdoor learning, fieldwork, and education for sustainable development. These results shed light on the effectiveness of the programme in influencing knowledge and attitudes, and in turn, lead to formulate a way forward in the programme’s evolution. Outdoor education is an essential element of education for sustainable development (ESD), which is key to address the current situation for a sustainable future. The data is collected through an extended questionnaire from a number of different schools in the Maltese islands, which is analysed through Statistic Package for Social Science (SPSS). The results reveal a great sense of detachment in the young students, and eventually, a greater sense of pointlessness in the older students. This study reveals that the field visit does have an influential role in the knowledge and attitudes of school children towards nature. This study continues to uphold the vision that outdoor education should be considered as a main activity, which involves and results in ESD. In response to these findings, a model illustrating the emerging links between the field visit programme and various factors is presented. This paper directly illustrates how university research in teamwork with non-governmental organisations can impact the local community. Also, the study will be useful to anyone who is interested in carrying out effective programs and research in the links between ESD and outdoor education.peer-reviewe

A meta-analysis of global youth environmental knowledge, attitude and behavior studies

There is a considerable body of literature on research on environmental knowledge, attitude and action. A lot of research has occurred on the primary and secondary school populations and the general population. However, much less emphasis has been placed on studies that concern post-compulsory education students in the range from 16 to 18 years old. The purpose of this review was to give an overview of environmental knowledge, attitude and action research with a particular emphasis on youth. The findings of a majority of studies reported a positive attitude towards the environment and a variety of levels of environmental knowledge. Behavior was not extensively studied. A number of studies found that females had a more positive attitude towards the environment than males. The majority of studies indicate that the main sources of environmental information for youth are television, books, newspapers, schools and friends. The main environmental problems mentioned by students were air pollution, water pollution, the loss of biological diversity and “population increase in the big cities” and hazardous waste. Most studies used quantitative techniques to gather data. The most commonly used instrument was a questionnaire with multiple choice questions and a Likert type scale particularly to measure attitudes. Considering the mainly quantitative nature of these studies, more appropriate sampling strategies, contextualized research instruments and statistical analysis should have been carried out to ensure more robust statistical findings.peer-reviewe

Young influences

The major environmental issues in Malta are related to its small size and high population density, which is augmented by an influx of visitors each year. Not much is known about the environmental knowledge of young people in the Maltese islands, or of the main actors that are responsible for the acquisition and development of environmental knowledge amongst young Maltese. Research was undertaken during 2007 and 2008 to address this gap, comprising a class administered questionnaire survey completed by 447 students in the post secondary age range. Stratified sampling was used within the studied colleges and schools to ensure that youth studying languages, sciences, business, and humanities were represented according to the actual percentages at the school level.peer-reviewe

Case study : gender equality in Malta

The objective of Agenda 21 is to guarantee a future that is economically, socially and ecologically sustainable. Chapter 24 of Agenda 21, produced at the 1992 United Nations Summit Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, was entitled 'Global Action for Women towards Sustainable and Equitable Development'. It outlined strategies to achieve the full and equal participation of women in order to bring about sustainable development. It is policy and management oriented and contains over one hundred specific recommendations and references to strengthen the role of women in sustainable development. It particularly focuses on the elimination of obstacles to women's equal participation in decision-making activities.peer-reviewe

An investigation on the environmental knowledge, attitudes and behavior of Maltese youth

Not much is known about the environmental knowledge, attitudes and actions of young people in the Maltese islands. The main actors that are responsible for the acquisition and development of environmental perspectives of young people in Malta are also not well known. There is as yet, little understanding of the extent to which these actors are fostering a sense of environmental responsibility and a greater commitment towards sustainable development. The methodology for this study includes an analysis of the local social, cultural and environmental milieu in which environmental knowledge, attitudes and actions form. Data collection occurred through a class administered questionnaire survey distributed to students in the post secondary age range. The results from the research indicated that students are more knowledgeable about the global environment than about the local environment, and that students receive most information from school, television and the Internet. The sources of environmental information perceived by young people are the most reliable including school, books and the Internet. The overall attitude of students towards the environment appears to be strongly positive; however, students seemed to perform few positive actions towards the environment.peer-reviewe

Education for sustainable development and meat consumption among inhabitants of two Maltese districts - a qualitative study

Malta and Gozo, two small islands forming part of the Maltese archipelago, are so near yet so distinct. As the two islands possess differing geographical features, two districts were selected – the predominantly urban Northern Harbour District (NHD) in Malta and the fertile rural district of Gozo – the main aim being to determine whether there is a relation between the inhabitants’ geographical location, the extent of meat consumption and the possible links of education for sustainable development to a sustainable diet. In fact, global patterns of meat consumption differ between and within countries. In view of this, the role played by the geographical location together with other motivating factors affecting meat consumption were explored, as also the level of awareness related to the environmental impact of meat production. Awareness on how our dietary choices impact our health and the environment is vital and the key vehicle required for citizens to be informed is Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The qualitative data was collected through four focus groups – two for each district – with the data collected being mainly analysed through thematic analysis. Based on the results emerging from the transcribed focus group texts, this study reveals that the absolute majority of participants in both districts are meat eaters although their meat consumption patterns differ. Gozitans are still more inclined to adhere to the traditional way of life, conforming to religious practices by including a variety of non-meat local produce in their menus. While taste and health are the two most determining factors for consuming meat, chicken is the preferred meat of both districts. The absolute majority are unaware of the negative environmental impact of meat production and consumption, although Gozitans are more knowledgeable about current farming systems. This study therefore reveals that geographical location does have an influential role in the dietary patterns of its inhabitants and that environmental attitudes are not a strong deciding factor. This study continues to uphold the vision that culture should be considered as one of the main pillars of ESD.peer-reviewe

Perceptions of the Maltese public towards local Marine Protected Areas

The marine environment represents a central component of Malta's local environment, and its ecosystem services play a vital role in supporting the economy as well as human well-being. Plans have been made to protect the unique ecology found within Maltese waters through the institution of five marine protected areas (MPAs). This quantitative study assessed the environmental knowledge and attitudes of the Maltese public towards the local marine environment, MPAs and education for sustainable development (ESD). A questionnaire was administered to members of the public (n = 200) at three different locations. The study found that although the Maltese public strongly appreciates the beauty of Malta's marine environment, the level of knowledge surrounding the marine environment is low. Furthermore, the research indicates that while the public agrees that the marine environment should be protected, there is a notable lack of awareness of the five local MPAs. Based on the research findings, a model linking ESD to MPAs and aiming to foster a sense of ownership among the public by encouraging their involvement in the management of local MPAs is proposed.peer-reviewe

A quantitative study of Maltese primary school teachers and their perceptions towards education for sustainable development

The study aims to explore Maltese primary school teachers’ perceptions towards Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The research focused on 3-6 years old Maltese educators’ level of ESD awareness and knowledge, their attitudes towards ESD, and their willingness to adopt ESD within the classroom setting. Primary teachers’ ESD methodological skills were investigated as were issues that hinder ESD adoption as a regular teaching tool. The quantitative research involved the collection and analysis of 271 questionnaires. This data was plotted on graphs and analysed through Statistic Package for Social Science (SPSS) statistical tests. The findings show that in general, junior years’ primary school teachers show interest in implementing ESD and exhibit a positive attitude towards the area. However, it was noted that the participants’ level of awareness and knowledge of the various ESD concepts are rather low or unclear. Notwithstanding, many educators integrate ESD values and skills in their teaching methodology unconsciously. Several obstacles are shown to impede educators in their attempt to integrate ESD to its full potential. The main findings from the research were used to construct a model that visually illustrates the relationships between the variables and drafts a list of recommendations.peer-reviewe

Mitromorpha engli Mifsud, 2001

Catálogo do Museo de Historia Natural USC. n. inventario 10034