FRESH AIR

Carbon

emissions

plunged during pandemic with figures dubbed ‘encouraging’

By John Culatto

of the total emissions, while road transport was 11.4% of the CO2 released.

The Government said that the opening of the new natu-

A NEW Gibraltar government plan will ‘make cycling and walking the natural choices for short journeys’ by creating new bicycle routes and improving walking areas.

Minister for Transport Paul Balban said the Active Travel Strategy would make streets safer and more comfortable for cyclists and pedestrians.

He said it was ‘an evolving document’ that was a key part of the Sus- ral gas power station caused carbon dioxide released from the power plant to drop by 13% from 2019 and 35% since 2015. But energy creation still accounted for 44.4% of total CO2 pollution.

Walk or cycle

tainable Traffic and Transport Plan (STTPP) of March 2017. It would include specifically marked cycle routes and bike parking. The strategy details ambitious plans to make Gibraltar a ‘15-minute city’ where residents can fulfil all their working, shopping, health and education needs by cycling or walking.

The figures showed that ‘manageable’ CO2 pollution only went down by 12% compared to 2019, despite the lengthy lockdown. Local boats created a surprising 28.2% of the

44% of emissions from transportation recorded in 2020. Emissions from rubbish went down by 9% during the period too. Minister for Climate Change and the Environment John Cortes said the figures were ‘encouraging’.

“When the 2021 inventory is ready we will be able to see more clearly how much of this reduction is real and how much was an artifact of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Cortes said.

“Judging by the separate air quality trends we published recently, while it is likely that emissions in 2021 will be up on 2020, I suspect that they will still be below previous years.”

The Kishin Alwani Foundation, one of the Rock’s leading charities, has entered into a partnership with the Gibraltar Philharmonic Society. The Alwani family set up in Gibraltar in 1923, developing a number of businesses which have contributed to the community economy since then. By starting the Kishin Alwani Foundation in 1988, it gave back some of its profits to the community. It has since funded Cancer Relief, Women’s Aid, Calpe House and sporting and cultural activities on the Rock. Gibraltar Philharmonic Society chairman Ernest Gomez thanked the foundation for its ‘generous financial sponsorship’.