About three weeks ago, a public consultation was launched on Malta’s long-term vision extending to the year 2050. You might say that 2050 is still far away, and perhaps some of us won’t be around. However, this is not just about us. It is also about future generations. We borrow natural resources from future generations; we do not inherit them from our ancestors. I already stated this in preceding opinion pieces when writing about the E of ESG, in relation to climate and environmental risks. That’s how we need to frame sustainability.
Vision Malta 2050 is a significant document in Malta’s national planning history. We whinge about how we focus on shorter economic gains. And we are critical of any government because we do not plan long enough to avoid wasting scarce resources. Hopefully, this is not simply another glossy publication gathering dust, as we previously had in the past 30 years. The document was drafted with the participation of Opposition members and several stakeholders. The draft document, opened for public consultation, is well-structured and future-focused, encompassing national commitments that finally align long-term policymaking with Malta’s real needs.
Minister Silvio Schembri and I go back a long way. We got to know each other at the University of Malta in 2004. We studied economics together, up to my first master’s degree in economics. I am mentioning this to avoid speculation on this opinion piece. Certainly, I do not want anyone to say my article sounds biased. And those who know me, know well that I do not beat around the bush, especially when economic policies are not to my taste. However, the Malta Vision 2050 document must be commended. As the principal architect and penholder of a project that dares to think beyond political cycles and short-term wins, Minister Schembri did a stellar job.
This Malta Vision 2050 draft document captures some of the ideas I have long advocated for in my writings, especially in this weekly column. The fact that the document proposes that Malta must progress beyond GDP as a sole measurement of success is music to everyone’s ears, especially for us who are in the professional sectors of sustainability and ESG. The government’s pivot towards broader indicators of well-being, including life satisfaction, quality of education, disposable income, healthcare outcomes and social cohesion, shows political maturity and economic evolution. Certainly, I am happy that the Opposition is also on board and that the document aligns with the EU’s pledge on competitiveness in line with the Draghi’s report.
Vision 2050 is framed around four strategic pillars, which include Sustainable Economic Growth, Accessible, Citizen-Centred Services, Resilience & Education and Smart Land and Sea Usage. These are not theoretical aspirations. They provide a clear direction and are supported by enabling foundations such as digital transformation, future-focused governance, smarter funding models and national branding, thereby positioning Malta as a resilient, sustainable and inclusive nation. This is why I said that it aligns with the EU’s long-term economic planning.
Surely, one of the most inspiring sections of the draft document is the focus on Smart Land and Sea Usage. Here, Malta has an opportunity to lead through innovation. As I had the opportunity to mention in my preceding opinion pieces, we need to think differently. The construction of an artificial offshore island dedicated to housing polluting industries such as oil bunkering, shipyards, large-scale waste management operations and renewable energy hubs is not an option anymore. Even the Freeport must be relocated there. By reallocating these sectors away from urban cores, we can reduce and eliminate several negative externalities, and the freed-up land can be used for humancentric redevelopment. We must liberate prime sites from such polluting industries and use them for higher value-added industries, blended with green spaces, cultural projects and social infrastructure.
Building an offshore island dedicated to housing heavy industry and high-emission activities must be the way forward. Malta must manage land scarcity intelligently by isolating polluting sectors through land reclamation, while enhancing the urban living experience for its residents, including green spaces and relocating some labour-intensive sectors elsewhere. Transportation reform is another vital component in the draft document. Malta must embrace a blended transport ecosystem, from electric buses to cover widespread areas, a tram system for high-capacity urban corridors and an expanded sea ferry network to leverage our maritime geography, especially within the port area connected along the eastern coast.
I have long supported the idea of relocating several government and public sector offices around Marsa. Also, I think Marsa can host a proper financial services sector around the port area to strategically connect it to other prime site areas of Malta including Sliema. This would not only de-industrialise part of Marsa and provide economic sustainability in Valletta but also enable a systematic and environmentally-conscious shift in Malta’s urban and economic planning. It would create synergies between port operations, government services, financial activities and industrial processes, all while alleviating the pressing traffic burden that Malta faces daily from the southern-bound region.
The Vision’s approach to Resilience & Education is equally commendable. Investment in national defence such as cyber, climate and critical infrastructure, and environmental restoration are crucial. Above all, education reform to prepare a digitally literate, highly-skilled workforce is not optional. Actually, the reforms are existential if we really intend to progress forward. It is fitting that the vision benchmarks Malta against leading innovators such as Ireland, Luxembourg, Denmark and Singapore. Equally important is the governance mechanism embedded in Vision 2050, that of establishing a centralised system for proper oversight of internal and external coordination, real-time KPI dashboards for transparency and binding strategic alignment across 1,800 measures and policies. This administrative architecture offers the kind of disciplined, future-focused governance I have long called for, especially within the executive arm. We need this governance and transparency.
Notwithstanding that GDP figures are important for other matters, including additional indices is revolutionary for Malta. The creation of Malta’s artificial industrial island, the rethinking of transport networks, the urban regeneration of Marsa and the introduction to well-being indicators over GDP are all landmark proposals. Minister Schembri and his team have presented Malta with a unique opportunity – one that should not be overlooked. It is a chance to lead, not merely adapt, especially within the realm of climate and environmental risks. Adaptability is important. However, thinking strategically is even more important.
The call now extends beyond Castille. It must echo through every local council, business boardroom, university and household. Indeed, if we truly get this right, Malta’s future is no longer to be inherited passively but built proactively. Vision Malta 2050 offers us the blueprints for an inclusive, greener and more resilient nation. Let’s all do our part and keep up the needed oversight to make sure to turn Vision Malta 2050 into reality. Surely, Minister Schembri’s leadership has proven that in a small island state, thinking big is not a luxury but a necessity. The journey to Malta 2050 has begun. Let us rise to the occasion, away from partisan politics, to meet the milestones of this journey together.
