Malta - Country Profile

Status and Trends of Biodiversity

Overview

The Maltese Islands harbour a very diverse array of flora and fauna, especially when considering the relatively small land area, the limited number of habitat types and the intense human pressure. Its isolated, yet central position in the Mediterranean, has given it a relatively large number of species that have affinities with those of the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Mediterranean... More »

Number and Extent of Protected Areas

Areas harbouring important habitat types and threatened native/endemic species within the Maltese Islands are afforded some form of protection by two main pieces of primary legislation: the Development Planning Act (DPA, Chapter 356/Act I of 1992 as amended) and the Environment Protection Act (EPA, Chapter 435/Act XX of 2001)... More »

Percentage of Forest Cover

In the Maltese Islands, the native forest is almost extinct, and only forest remnants remain at four localities, all on the island of Malta. These forest remnants take the form of small copses of Holm Oak (Quercus ilex). Some of these trees are estimated to be between 500 and 900 years old. Nevertheless, various maquis communities occur... More »

National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan

Major features of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

The process for developing the NBSAP of the Maltese Islands was introduced at a preliminary stakeholders’ meeting, which was held in 2004 in Malta. Terms of reference (ToRs) setting up the way forward have been recently approved. These ToRs recognise the need for establishing an administrative structure and adopting a participatory approach for addressing biodiversity concerns in a national context... More »

Implementation of the Convention

Measures Taken to Achieve the 2010 Target

The development of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for the Maltese Islands shall serve as the primary tool for integrating biodiversity concerns into other sectors. Nonetheless biodiversity issues have already been considered in the context of sustainable development via the National Strategy for Sustainable Development, rural development by way of the Rural Development Plan and its agri-environment measures and through cross-compliance procedures with respect to statutory environmental management standards established in relation to the EU Directives listed in Annex III to Council Regulation (EC) No... More »

Initiatives in Protected Areas

Being an island archipelago, almost all of Malta’s protected areas can be said to be coastal. To date two marine sites have been declared. A number of protected areas include buffer zones. The protected area network created for Malta takes into account international/regional plans, strategies, targets and goals, as well as the IUCN system of categories... More »

Initiatives for Article 8(j)

An ethnobotanic survey has been ongoing for the past 13 years and consists of semi-structured interviews, including discussions, and participant observation. Most interviewees are farmers and/or herders, and sometimes fishermen and traditional healers. Since traditional knowledge has declined considerably during the past 50 years, informants are usually sought from among the pre-World War II generation... More »

National Contacts

Full details of national contacts »

Convention on Biological Diversity

Hon. Dr. Mario de Marco	CBD Primary NFP
Mr. Darrin T. Stevens	CHM NFP, SBSTTA NFP
Ms. Lisa Schembri Gambin	ICNP ABS NFP
Malta Environment and Planning Authority	ABS Competent National Authorities

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

Hon. Dr. Mario de Marco	Cartagena Protocol Primary NFP
Mr. Joseph Abela Medici	BCH NFP