Report

The Malta Institutional Scan of the existing Sustainable Development Government Framework is part of the project implemented by the OECD with the support of the European Commission DG REFORM Technical Support Instrument (TSI), to provide support to the Maltese government during the formulation of the Maltese Sustainable Development Strategy for 2050. This Institutional Scan assesses how the current governmental working mechanisms are fit for mainstreaming the SDGs when planning, implementing and evaluating public policies according to the principles of the  OECD Recommendation on Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD). This stocktaking analysis is based on desk research, as well as the opinions of government officials collected during workshops, interviews and through ad-hoc surveys. The Scan also identifies possible ways ahead for  more integrated policy-making at all levels of government, underpinned by strong civil service skills and civil society engagement. The stocktaking and possible ways ahead identified in this Scan will inform the follow up project to be implemented from 2022 by the OECD with DG Reform support, that will lead to the formulation of the PCSD Action Plan.

Objectives

In partnership with the EU Commission Technical Support Instrument (TSI), the OECD supports the Sustainable Development Department within the Ministry of Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development (MESD) in operationalising the Malta Sustainable Development Vision for 2050 into the Sustainable Development Strategy and Governance Framework (…). 

OECD’s support aims to help in identifying and strengthening the right tools and governance mechanisms to keep sustainable development at the heart of the prioritisation exercise that the Government is undertaking during post-COVID recovery, and help arbitrating between policy trade-offs emerging from the crisis.

How we work with Malta?

1. Institutional scan 
This scan assesses the existing institutions and suggests options to mainstream the Sustainable Development Strategy into day-to-day government work.

2. Building the capacity of public officers for sustainable development
Several OECD-led workshops have been organised to strengthen public service’s capacities for formulating and budgeting for policies that are aligned to sustainable development principles; to plan policies across-silos and future-prove their contribution to sustainable development, etc

3. Support the development of a Sustainable Development Action Plan for Malta
The OECD supports the Government in collecting the sectoral mid- and long-term priorities for sustainable development and including them in a time-bound action plan with concrete milestones and coordination mechanisms for its implementation

4. Framework and Policy Options for Developing the National Sustainable Development Strategy for the Maltese Islands to 2050
The Framework provides recommendations and policy options to the government of Malta in the development of a Sustainable Development Strategy (2050) and Governance Framework, that would together give effect to the Maltese Sustainable Development Vision for 2050.

Workshops and Events related to the project 

First round of workshop for formulation of Malta Sustainable Development Strategy (January- February 2021)

The first round of multi-stakeholder workshops took place with a session dedicated to each of the four cluster areas of the Malta 2050 Vision: Sustainable community cohesion; Sustainable use of resources; Quality of life and wellbeing and Sustainable and competitive growth. These workshops were facilitated by the Maltese Sustainable Development Directorate and the OECD, and each session attended by more than 70 participants from the government, local councils, academia, constituted bodies, and NGOs. Prior to the workshops, votes were held for the participants to select the three most relevant 2050 sub-goals for each of the four cluster areas. During each workshop, participants agreed on a list of cross-cutting action measures under each sub-goal discussed. The result is a list of over 40 action measures that will feed in the formulation of the National Sustainable development Strategy 2050.

Stakeholder Consultation Session in relation to Malta’s Sustainable Development Strategy 2050 (21-24 June 2021)

The second round of workshops (21 to 24 June 2021) brough together representatives from the relevant Maltese Ministries to discuss priorities objectives for 2050 in the cluster policy area “Sustainable community cohesion”. Each day a different goal was discussed by around 20 participants which changed based on their area of expertise:  Poverty Reduction, Inclusive Society, Migration Management, Accessibility, Security and Mobility. Through this cross-sectoral strategic planning exercises participants identified avenues to reach those goals by 2050 and tried to associate targets to be achieved by 2030 and 2050. This collective exercise is oriented at supporting the government in the formulation of a 2050 National Sustainable Development Strategy that all ministries can use to better integrate their policies and think beyond the short policy cycle. 

Malta’s Sustainable Development Strategy for 2050 and Action Plan: Multi-Stakeholder Formulation Process and Next Steps (24 November 2021)

Draft Agenda (PDF)

Using Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD) to develop a Sustainable Development Strategy for the Maltese Islands in 2050 (PDF)

Facts about Malta and the SDGs

• The Maltese Government looks at the marine space as offering a large potential source of clean renewable energy, SDG 7 is a key priority for the Maltese government as established in the Vision 2050 that offers guidelines towards long-term sustainable development in Malta.
  
  
• In 2012 Malta was one of the first EU countries to adopt a legislative framework mandating the Government to mainstream sustainable development in its policies, even before the Agenda 2030 was adopted.
  
  
• The tourism sector in Malta accounts for 27% of the country’s GDP. 2.6 million tourists visited Malta in 2018 which represents 5 times the size of its population (almost 500 000 inhabitants in 2019). According to the World Tourism Organisation “a sustainable tourism takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities" (Related SDGs 14, 12 and 8).
  
  
• Malta sea area (Exclusive Economic Zone) (54823 km2) represents 173 times its land area (316 km2). For Malta it is a key priority to “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development” (SDG 14).
  
  
• Since 2012 Malta established institutional bodies, such as the Guardian of Future Generations and the Sustainable Development Network, which aim at fostering exchange of views and national dialogue as well as overseeing the implementation of sustainable development in Malta.