Cap. 643 Art. 5Duties and obligations of Government.

(1) It shall be the duty of the Government to protect the climate for the present and future generations.

(2) In fulfilling its duties pursuant to sub-article (1), the Government shall, inter alia:

(a) develop, periodically update and publish national inventories of anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases in order to monitor progress towards achieving its quantified emission limitation or reduction commitments pursuant to international treaties and its obligations as a Member State of the European Union;

(b) formulate, implement, publish and update policies regarding measures to mitigate climate change by limiting and, to the extent possible, reducing anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions by sources, by enhancing removals of greenhouse gases by sinks and setting sectoral targets as appropriate;

(c) formulate, implement, publish and update policies regarding measures to prevent, avoid and reduce vulnerability while enhancing resilience to the adverse impacts of climate change. As a result this shall facilitate adaptation to climate change. This adaptation may also be supported by sectoral specific targets as appropriate, following the necessary consultations.

(d) promote and cooperate in the development, application and diffusion of technologies, practices and processes that control, reduce or prevent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases in all relevant sectors, including the energy, transport, industry, agriculture, land-use and forestry and waste management sectors;

(e) promote sustainable management of sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases, including all terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems and promote and cooperate in the conservation and enhancement of sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases, including all terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems;

(f) promote and cooperate in scientific, technological, technical, socio-economic and other research, systematic observation and development of data archives related to the climate system;

(g) promote and cooperate in the exchange of relevant scientific, technological, technical, socio-economic and legal information related to the climate system and climate change, and to the economic and social consequences of response strategies;

(h) promote and cooperate in education, training and public awareness related to climate change; and

(i) ensure that the Authority shall have the adequate human and financial resources to fulfil its functions as assigned to it under this Act.

(3) The Government shall ensure that policies, programmes and projects are designed and evaluated in a manner that takes into consideration mitigation of, and adaptation to climate change, and that such policies, programmes and projects contribute to the mitigation of, and adaptation to climate change.

(4) The Government shall ensure that policies, programmes and projects are, to the extent possible, designed in a manner that ensures resilience to the impacts of climate change.

(5) The Government shall, in fulfilling its duties and obligations under this article, participate, cooperate and support participation in, international and intergovernmental activities and programmes related to climate action, as appropriate. In particular, the Government shall promote activities that relate to climate action relevant to the Mediterranean region, and shall as appropriate, participate, cooperate and support participation in such activities.