Vanya Veras of Times of Malta writes:

Well, we literally need to green every horizontal and vertical surface, and live in a Mediterranean-style urban jungle. I don’t know about you but just the idea of being surrounded by living plants makes me feel healthy and peaceful.

A sustainable Mediterranean green roof ecosystem applied to a whole roof will reduce the energy demand of that building by up to 75 per cent.

Green roofs, when applied following the local ecosystem and building on local biodiversity, have enormous benefits to the economy

Taking the economic benefits – a sustainable Mediterranean green-roof ecosystem applied to a whole roof will reduce the energy demand of that building by up to 75 per cent. That means paying up to 75 per cent less for your heating and cooling – every year, because you don’t need it – and having that much more disposable income.

It means less energy demand so lower carbon dioxide emissions from the power plant, so the government has fewer carbon credits to buy; and it also means fewer power cuts which cause huge loss of earnings every time they happen. The more roofs we green in Malta, the smaller the bill for carbon credits; at last count it was over €2 million per year.

Over and above savings, investing in green roofs at a national level will create sustainable jobs in a new, transformed green economy, for farmers and nurseries in growing indigenous Maltese and endemic Mediterranean plants – which incidentally should also be used to sustainably green roadsides, roundabouts and piazzas in every local authority – jobs in transport, lifting equipment, waste management and of course for installation of the green roofs.

A clean and green environment also attracts a more discerning tourist who will not litter and who will enjoy the beauty of Malta without damaging that beauty.

Read more: Green roofs can boost economy - Vanya Veras